Two sides of the same War
by Vegetableswillhavetheirrevenge
Summary: With Arthur now under threat from within the Knights of Camelot themselves, and Merlin getting so distracted by a new servant-girl in town, will he be able to balance love and destiny? Or will it all fall apart? Set after s.3 ep.4. Merlin/OC
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my second story. It's got some aspects to it that are unlike anything I've written before (a.k.a the whole romance side of things), plus it kind of incorporates two stories into one (necessary for later moments to work) so I'm hoping it all turns out on page the way I picture it in my head. I've got a lot of work to do right now, so the updates may be a bit slower than for my previous work, 'Nightmares', but I'm still going to try to aim for one every day or two. Oh, and if at any point you think I've mucked up on choosing the rating, please let me know. Thanks.**

**So that's pretty much it for my mumblings. I hope you like it :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter One**

Merlin heaved a great sigh as he walked out of the laundry room, the pile of clothes in his arms piled so high that it was only by straining that he could see over the top. Honestly, it never ceased to amaze him just how much washing the Prince needed to be done. It was like he did it on purpose in an attempt to make his servant's life just that little bit more difficult.

Turning the corner, he found himself about the crash into a similarly-laden person walking in the other direction. In a display of agility he would never normally be capable of, he span nimbly to one side- the other person performing a similar feat almost simultaneously. They ended up on opposite sides of the hallway, both laughing briefly as they lowered their bundles in order to see the other's face.

"Nice moves." It was a girl he had never seen before. Her blonde hair was tied in a loose plait, which hung over one shoulder. She was slender, with sparkling green eyes, and freckles dotted across her otherwise pale skin. She couldn't quite be described as pretty, but there was something in her smile which immediately told Merlin that she was a good person. He smiled in return.

"You too." They paused for a second, wondering what to do next, before Merlin suddenly remembered that he still had about a thousand different chores to do. "I've got to go." She nodded politely, and they each left in their separate directions, barely even allowing another thought of their brief encounter to pass through their minds.

* * *

Later that day, Merlin found himself following Arthur to the training fields. Today yet another man was to face the young Prince in order to find out if he was worthy of becoming a Knight of Camelot. As they walked, Merlin tried to keep up a conversation.

"So, what do think then, will he pass?"

Arthur looked back at him derisively. "Do you _honestly_ think I'd be doing this if I had the answer already?"

He stared back, unabashed. "That's not exactly an answer sire."

"Merlin." The Prince glared at him. "Shut up." Turning back to face ahead as they entered the grounds, the next words Arthur spoke were quieter. "He shows promise, but it all depends on how he performs today. If he fails, he must return home shamed until he's ready for his next attempt. It's a lot of pressure Merlin- you wouldn't understand." Merlin grimaced internally. That's right. What would _he_ know about pressure? It's not as though he had the future of Camelot resting upon his shoulders or anything.

As they entered the area in which the test would be taking place, they were met with the sight of a young man, maybe a few years younger than the Prince. He had brown hair and eyes, his colours- in the form of a strip of orange cloth- were tucked into his belt, and he wore a bit of a cocky expression. That was wiped off, though, when he saw his examiner draw near. He bowed his head.

"Sire." Arthur ignored him, turning to take his weapon from his manservant before deigning to speak. Several Knights began to gather round, eager for a show. Merlin settled back to watch as his master spun his sword in his hand, raising his voice for all to hear.

"Right you useless lump, here we are. This is your final challenge. To pass, you must last one minute of free combat against the man who is possibly the most lethal killing machine this world has ever known. You must face- me." The young man nodded, settling into a fighting stance. "Alan, first son of Haskel, your time starts," he indicated to the old timekeeper, "now."

As the hourglass turned, Alan immediately lunged forward, almost managing to catch the Prince off guard. Arthur met his opponent head-on, a breathtaking flurry of blows passing between the two. The younger man was obviously a skilled fighter, even in Merlin's eyes.

As the timer began to near it's final moments, Alan was gradually forced backwards, losing the advantage he had almost gained at the beginning of the fight. Just as he parried one final blow, a shout echoed across the field.

"Time!"

Immediately, both men lowered their swords. Alan grinned triumphantly as the Prince shook his hand.

"Congratulations Alan. You're a fantastic warrior. I look forward to seeing you at the Knighting ceremony later today." Merlin followed as Arthur left the field, leaving a swarm of Knights rushing forward to congratulate the newest recruit on a job well done. It had been a while since someone had managed to pass the test, and Alan evidently had enough skill to be a fine Knight.

"I knew he'd pass."

His master shot him a withering look.

"You did not."

"Did too."

"Merlin."

"Honest- it's like you said. He had a lot of potential."

"Are you honestly going to continue this topic?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

"I'll tell you why." Arthur answered, wearing the smug expression he usually put on when he was about to dish his servant up a big plate of torture. "You've still got to polish my plate armour, sharpen my sword and clean my room. Not to mention the stables need mucking out, the dogs need walking, and…" Merlin hastily interrupted before any more orders could be given.

"I get the general idea sire. But may I request that I be allowed to leave the matter of the stables until tomorrow? After all, you wouldn't want me to turn up to the Knighthood celebrations stinking of manure now, would you?"

"Honestly Merlin, I actually find the idea quite pleasurable." The cheeky grin which Merlin had allowed to form quickly faded, only to return moments later, as the young Prince continued to speak. "However, as how you smell reflects on me, I'll let you off this time."

"Of course sire. After all, we wouldn't want your reputation to get any worse than it already is." Ducking to avoid the light punch Arthur aimed at his arm, he skipped backwards. "I'll just go see to that room of yours then, shall I?"

* * *

That evening, the great hall was in uproar- the celebrations for the newly-Knighted Sir Alan well underway. Merlin leant on a pillar in the corner of the room. Truth be told, he would have enjoyed the party a lot more if he didn't have to keep an eye on Arthur all the time in case the Prince needed him to do something.

It was as he was there, considering whether or not it would be worth it to magically make Arthur trip up in the middle of the hall, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Looking down, he noticed the girl from earlier.

"Oh, it's you."

She smiled up at him. "Evidently. I thought I'd come over and introduce myself, as we were both in a bit of a hurry this morning. My name's Elira. I'm new to the staff here."

"I'm Merlin."

"Well, it's nice to officially meet you Merlin." A small frown creased her brow. "Merlin… I swear I've heard that name somewhere…"

"Was it in the kitchens? I hear they're always talking about my good looks in there." She just gave him an amused look. "What? You don't think I'm handsome?"

"Hardly." She paused, evidently realising by his slightly raised eyebrow that this may have come across as slightly rude. "Oh no- I didn't mean it like that! Not at all! I just meant that you weren't the typical example of what I'd call handsome. You're far more… how do I say it?"

Merlin couldn't help but feel pity for her- she just looked so flustered. A good-natured laugh escaped his lips.

"Look, don't worry about it." He nodded his head towards the throng of Knights. "I wouldn't want to be known as being similar to that lot in any way. Besides, I'm a firm believer in inner charm."

"Me too!" There was an awkward pause as they tried to figure out what to say next. Elira was the first to speak, clapping her hands together as she did so.

"I remember now! Merlin! You're the Prince's clumsy manservant!"

Merlin grinned, head cocked slightly to one side. "I see my reputation precedes me."

"Oh yes- I've heard all about you! Like the time when you fell asleep in the stables, letting the Prince's horses escape! And how often you run into people when you're rushing around corridors! And how often you've been in the stocks! And how…" Merlin stopped her.

"I know, I know. The list goes on. I can't help it though- life would be so dull without the odd slip-up here and there."

She laughed. "I can well imagine." Just at that moment, Merlin looked up to see a certain young Prince sitting on a table and staring at him rather pointedly, dangling an empty goblet.

"Ah. Looks like duty calls."

Elira followed his gaze to where Arthur was now tapping his foot rather impatiently. "Have fun."

"Oh yes, always." He walked over to Arthur, removed the goblet from his hand and, completely ignoring the mildly annoyed glare directed at him, spoke with mock politeness. "Would you like me to fill that up for you sire?" Arthur pushed him towards the refreshment table in reply.

As he walked, Merlin glanced over towards the pillar where he had just been standing. Elira was gone. He smiled to himself, hoping he would see her again soon. He had a feeling they would get along quite well.

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**So there you go. I hope you like Elira's name. It apparently means 'free', and I just fell in love with it. Hope you enjoyed the story so far, and please review :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, I told you that I would try to update once per day, so here's the next chapter for you. I hope you enjoy it, and please review :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Two**

The next few days passed as usual for Merlin. He spent his time balancing getting ordered around by both Arthur and Gaius, doing chores assigned to him by the higher-ups of the castle staff and, when he had a moment to spare, studying a few more spells to add to his ever-increasing repertoire.

He was just in the herb garden, a huge list from Gaius in his hands, in the middle of picking some mint and stuffing it into the pouch he had slung over his shoulder, when someone bumped into him from the side. The next thing he knew, he was lying face-first in a patch of mint. Clambering to his feet and turning round, he was only mildly surprised to see Elira flat on the ground. He automatically reached down to help her up.

"I was wondering when I'd bump into you again."

She gratefully accepted his arm, a light laugh escaping her as she stood.

"Me too actually. We seem to be making rather a big habit of it." He chuckled, having to agree with her. Over the course of the five days which passed since Sir Alan's Knighting ceremony they had, quite literally, bumped into each other no less than twelve times. Thirteen now. Most of which resulted in a quick scramble to pick up whatever they had each been carrying at the time.

"It seems you're not the only one developing a reputation for being clumsy. I seem to be doing quite well myself." She said, grinning up at him with the smile he had come to know so well over the course of their meetings, laughter making her eyes bright.

"Indeed. What are you doing here anyway?"

"Oh, I've been sent to pick some herbs to be used in tonight's meals. I wasn't really looking where I was going- as you can probably tell. Yourself?"

"I'm just here to gather some herbs for Gaius, the court Physician." He looked up at the sky, noticing that the sun was nearing its midpoint. "Speaking of which, I'd better hurry and get these to him. Arthur will be wanting his lunch soon, and heaven forbid I be even a few seconds late."

She giggled in reply. "True. We wouldn't want you to end up in the stocks again- no matter how amusing it might be. I guess I'll be seeing you soon?"

"I wouldn't count on it. Arthur and a few others are setting out to go hunting tomorrow, and of course it's up to me to keep them all in order. It shouldn't take more than a couple of days though, so I'll see you when I get back."

She nodded. "Goodbye then. I hope you have an enjoyable trip."

"I'll try." Turning and walking hurriedly out of the garden, he barely even noticed that he was grinning from ear to ear.

* * *

The next evening, the hunting group sat around the campfire chatting merrily. They had just finished eating a filling meal (cooked by the only servant in the group of course) and were having a fantastic time grilling each other on random topics of conversation. It was Arthur's turn to start. He considered for a while before speaking.

"Alright, I've got one. What made you choose to become a Knight?" Merlin, sat to Arthur's right, leaned back slightly. It was obvious he would be excluded from this one.

Sir Kay, to the Prince's left, was the first to answer.

"I became one out of loyalty to Camelot."

Sir Dwight, the next in the group, snorted in derision.

"Oh please, we all know that's only part of it. I daresay I'm the only one man enough to say it, so I'll just get it over with- I did it for the women. No fine lady can resist a man in armour." Raucous laughter filled the camp at this, several of the men nodding their heads profusely in agreement. Once they had settled, they continued around the circle. Last to speak was Sir Alan.

"I became one to bring honour to my family. I carry the wishes of my father to assist in guiding Camelot towards a brighter future- one of prosperity and peace." There was silence for a moment. No-one had expected the young man's answer to be quite so thoughtfully planned out and serious. He had, since his test, shown himself to be a bit of a joker. It was something Merlin liked about him. Arthur was the first to break the silence, clapping his hands together as he began to speak.

"So that's that. Who's turn is it to ask the next question?"

* * *

Merlin woke early the following morning. The conversation had continued long into the night, and he would have slept longer, but he had been overcome by a bad feeling. There was something wrong in the air. A faint mist ran over the ground, blurring his vision, so he stood up to take a good look around.

There- a movement in the shadow of the trees. A flash of reflected light- could that be from a sword?

"Bandits!" He yelled, as they burst into the camp. The Knights were awake and up in a matter of seconds, automatically forming a circle facing outwards. The following fight was furious.

Merlin dodged as a sword came towards him, forcing him backwards- he had forgotten to pick up a weapon. Retreating as fast as he could, he didn't notice the protruding tree root behind him until it was too late. Just as the sword was coming down, Arthur noticed his dilemma. The Prince threw himself at the bandit, knocking him to the floor before stabbing him. He turned briefly to face his servant.

"Are you okay?" Merlin just had time to nod, wide-eyed, before a hulking shape loomed up behind his friend, sword raised high.

"Arthur! Look out!" Arthur span just in time to parry the blow. He slashed the man across the stomach and then re-entered the fight with a vengeance. Merlin quickly shuffled backwards, ducking behind a tree. He was hardly any use with a weapon, even if he did have one on him. It was far better for him to stay out of the way and lend magical assistance if necessary.

After a few short seconds, a strange sight caught his eye. While the other Knights were focused on their separate battles, Sir Alan had knelt down briefly and picked up one of the bandit's swords. Why did he need that? He still had his own.

Merlin watched as the young man took careful aim- and threw the sword straight towards Arthur's back.

The warlock acted instinctively, reaching out with his powers. As the Prince 'slipped' onto the ground, the sword passed over his head. Arthur rolled as he fell, back on his feet in seconds, staring around for the source of the weapon. He saw nothing he deemed dangerous though- Alan was standing over the man who he assumed must have been the culprit, looking for all the world like he had just chopped him down. Merlin was the only one to notice the slight tightness around the new Knight's eyes.

As the fighting came to an end, Arthur looked around to ensure there were no more enemies. His gaze alighted upon Merlin, who appeared to have been hidden throughout a large portion of the fight.

"Merlin! Could you _possibly_ be _any_ more useless? Come out from there!" He looked around once more, counting. They had lost two men in the battle. As the group gathered together, he looked around at his Knights, ending on Alan. He spoke to the group as a whole. "Well done. You fought bravely. I'm cutting this trip short though- we must return to Camelot and inform my father of what has occurred here.

They immediately started to pack up camp, laying the two fallen Knights over the backs of their respective horses. Their bodies would be taken care of back at the city.

As Merlin readied his pack and clambered onto the mare he was using (as a servant, he didn't have a horse of his own), he kept one eye focused in Alan's direction. What had that been about?


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks so much for your reviews- I'm glad you liked the stuff with Alan :) And also, thanks once again to Tianne for your tips on the speech fluency stuff. I think I've got it sorted now, so the speech should flow a bit easier on the page. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and please review! But, enough of that- on to the story :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Three**

The young warlock continued to ponder the incident with Alan during the ride back to Camelot, only answering with half-hearted remarks every time Arthur commented on how quiet the young man was being. He couldn't help it though- he wasn't really in the mood for their usual level of playful banter.

As they entered the city though, a new thought sprung unbidden into his mind- _I wonder what Elira's up to right now?_ He hastily shook the thought away- now was not the time to be distracted. Especially by such a separate topic. No doubt he would be seeing the girl soon anyway, and he had more important things to focus on.

As soon as they had finished reporting to the king and the door had closed to Arthur's chambers, the young Prince strolled over to the table and turned to face his friend.

"Now- will you finally wipe that look off your face?"

Merlin looked at him, startled, as he walked further into the room. "What look?"

"Don't '_What look?_' me! You've had a face like a wet blanket ever since the attack this morning. Are you injured or something?"

"Why Arthur, I didn't know you cared."

"I don't _care_ Merlin," the Prince scoffed, "I just don't want some kind of injury affecting your performance. I don't think I could bare it if my chambers were any dirtier than you usually leave them." Merlin chuckled inwardly- why couldn't Arthur just admit he was worried and be done with it? It would be so much easier than putting on this farce every time. Not as fun though.

"Well you needn't worry. I'm fine. I've just got a lot on my mind is all."

"What on earth could an idiot like you have on your mind?"

"I daresay a lot more than a dollophead like you."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "I thought we'd been through this. 'Dollophead' is not a word."

"And I thought I told you- it's idiomatic. And besides, surely I'm allowed to choose my own insults."

"Oh, I don't mind you choosing your own insults. I would simply prefer it if my own servant had a vocabulary which surpassed that of a five-year old boy."

Merlin grinned. "Well, you can't always get what you want. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to be going. I daresay Gaius will be needing me for something-or-other." He turned, frowning slightly as he reached the door. "Arthur- will you promise me something?"

"What?"

"Just… be careful okay. Especially around Sir Alan."

"I'm always careful you dolt. And why Alan?"

"It's nothing," the young Warlock hastened, "I just… don't trust him."

"Merlin- Sir Alan is from a noble family, and is now a trusted Knight of Camelot. I don't want to hear you speak of this again- it could get you thrown in the stocks, or worse."

"Yes sire. Sorry." Merlin closed the door behind him as he left, leaning against it briefly and heaving a sigh. He knew Arthur had largely said that to protect him should the King find out, but honestly, when would the he finally learn to listen to him?

He wasn't to know that at that very moment, the young Prince in question had just sat down at the table, his brow furrowed as he considered the meaning of what his servant had said. Arthur trusted him a lot more than he knew.

* * *

Later that evening, after seeing the Prince was comfortably in bed and had nothing else he needed, Merlin spotted a familiar figure on his way back to his room. He jogged forward, calling out as he went.

"Elira!"

She turned, her smile as big as his own, recognizing his voice instantly.

"Merlin!" Exclaiming happily, she clasped him briefly in a tight hug. Taking a step back, she asked "What are you doing here? I thought you were out on a hunting trip!" He was a bit taken aback by the hug, but shrugged nonetheless.

"It got cut short- we were attacked by bandits this morning, so Arthur had to get back and make a report."

Her eyes quickly flicked over his body. "You're not hurt are you?"

"Oh no, it'll take more than a few bandits to defeat the mighty Merlin."

A laugh followed this comment. "Indeed. Besides- I don't think I could forgive you if you died in such a manner- it doesn't suit your character." It was his turn to laugh at that.

"True." He paused momentarily. "Where are you headed anyway?"

"Home. I'm done for the day."

"Alone?"

"Yes Merlin, alone."

"Would you like me to come with you? It's not safe for a girl to be out alone at this time of night."

She smiled at this. "You needn't worry Merlin, I daresay I can look after myself. I've managed so far."

"Then how about I come along for a chat. I can offer some riveting topics of conversation." To be honest, he wasn't quite sure why he was pushing this- he just found that for some reason he wanted to talk longer. He had missed her in the day he had been gone.

"Well, if it's just for the conversation, I'd be glad for you to come. I never tire of your banter."

Smiling, they turned as one and began to walk. Their exchange was frequently interspersed with giggling as they discussed the latest points of gossip flying around the castle servants. It was amazing, some of the stuff those nobles got up to.

As they neared her house, Merlin asked the question he had been meaning to pose for a while now.

"So what made you decide to move to Camelot? I mean, it can't have been easy for a young girl to make such a decision. What about your family?"

She tensed slightly, her eyes misting over as she replied.

"I don't have a family. They died. All of them. I moved because I couldn't bare to stay in that village any longer."

Merlin froze for a second before continuing forward. He hadn't expected this. He himself knew the pain of losing a family member- even though he had only known his father briefly he could still vividly recall Balinor's final moments. And he still remembered his heartbreak that time on the Isle of the Blessed when he thought he had lost Gaius forever. Not to mention that Morgana's old self was practically dead to him. But he still had his mother. He still had Gaius and Gwen- they were like family to him. And he still had Arthur. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to find yourself all alone.

"I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "It's fine. You weren't to know, and it happened a long time ago. I'm used to it." He could hardly bare to look at the expression on her face- it just didn't seem right when she wasn't smiling. Something within him cringed at the thought of her ever being miserable. But he just couldn't think of anything he could say to cheer her up.

"Still, I'm sorry."

They continued on to her house in silence, their goodbyes brief before he parted.

That night, thoughts of Elira filled his mind as he fell asleep. His last thoughts to cross his mind as he drifted off were simple. _I want her to be happy. I want to make her happy._ The idea surprised him. It must be because of what he had learnt about her family. After all, there was no way she could mean _that much to him. Was there?_


	4. Chapter 4

**First, I'll start by thanking all those who have reviewed so far- please keep them coming- the more reviews I get the more energised I feel, and an energised writer gets more done :) Also, thanks to those who have alerted and favourited this story- I'm really really _really_ glad you all like it :D Here's hoping I continue to please :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Four**

As the days passed, Merlin found himself getting repeatedly distracted. He was trying to keep an eye on Sir Alan, especially when the man came close to either Arthur or the King, but every time he saw Elira his mind drifted off, and he struggled to get it back under control.

Arthur, of course, was not planning to let him get away with it for long. He had tried being patient, but as the young servant boy messed up for the third time while attaching Arthur's armour, the Prince finally let his annoyance out.

"Oh for goodness _sake_, Merlin! Will you get your head out of the clouds, and kindly pay attention to the matter at hand!"

Merlin stared at him for a moment, blinking hard. "Sorry sire."

"If you're sorry, then just hurry it up already will you? I'd like to actually make it to the training grounds _before_ everyone leaves."

"Yes sire."

Five minutes later, they were walking through the castle when a certain Blonde head caught his eye. Completely forgetting where he was and who he was with, the warlock instantly started to follow Elira's progress as he walked, grinning at her when she noticed him. He was immediately rewarded with a joyful smile and a small wave in return. When she had disappeared, he looked around once again- only to find a rather unpleasantly knowing smile upon Arthur's face.

"So… What's her name?"

Merlin tried- and failed dismally- to look innocent as he replied.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh please! Even a blind man could tell that you like her."

"What?" He was a bit surprised at this. "No. No way. I don't feel that way about Elira."

"Ooh- Elira is it? Well, I suppose it explains why you've been acting like even more of a klutz than usual."

Merlin felt the beginnings of a blush in his cheeks, and the tips of his ears grew hot. "I told you- It's not like that!" But even as he denied it, he could feel the truth of his friend's words sinking in. Now that he thought about it, he could recognise that he did have feelings for her. Something in him immediately started to rebel against this though- he had had his heart broken before by Freya's death. Even after so much time had passed, he wasn't sure that he was ready to fall in love again. But try as he might, the word settled uncomfortably into his stomach. Love. He was in Love.

"Whatever you say Merlin."

They walked the rest of the way without talking- Merlin pouting and Arthur just managing to restrain the teasing smile playing around his lips. Not that the Prince regretted finding out at all. It was, after all, a juicy bit of information he could use to torture his manservant for a while. There were only so many times in one day he was willing to use the word 'idiot'.

When they reached the grounds, they were met at the entrance by a rather anxious-looking Sir Alan. He opened his mouth to speak, before quickly closing it again. The very picture of a man struggling with what to say. Arthur let him look awkward for a few seconds before he spoke, an amused smile on his face.

"What is it Alan?"

The younger man stammered briefly before replying. "I was wondering, sire, if I might be allowed to miss training for today. My sister arrived this morning, and has asked that I show her the town." The Prince nodded magnanimously in reply.

"Of course. Now hurry, you mustn't keep her waiting. I know full well what a woman can be like when that happens through my experiences with Morgana."

"Thank you sire." Alan bowed his head briefly before briskly departing. Merlin was the only one to notice the slightly sinister curve to the man's lips. He didn't know whether or not the sister story was true, but whatever Alan had in mind- it couldn't be good.

Arthur, however, remained completely oblivious, simply removing his sword from Merlin's grasp and walking forward to join the other Knights. He called back jokingly as he went.

"Hurry up Merlin, or I'll be sure to tell everyone about your little crush." At these words, the blush rose once again in the young servant's cheeks.

"I do _not_ have a crush!"

* * *

When Merlin left Arthur's chambers that night, he was thoroughly drained. Not only had he had to perform his usual list of chores, but he had also been forced to put up with Arthur's teasing whenever the two were together. It had only grown worse when the Prince had at one point rounded a corner just in time to see Merlin and Elira scurrying to pick up the clothes they had dropped after colliding once again. Oh, how he wished he could just use his magic to bring back Arthur's Donkey laugh. It was highly unfortunate that enough time had passed since it had faded that the affliction could no longer be blamed on the Goblin.

Plotting another form of revenge, he turned yet another corner. Only to dive back behind it instantly. Sir Alan was there, leading a slightly older brown-haired girl into one of the castle's many disused rooms, looking around furtively as he closed the door. It was a long way from any of the Knight's quarters, and few people ever came this way. Merlin quickly came to the most logical conclusion- the two didn't want to be overheard.

Creeping up to the door, the young warlock pressed his ear against it, listening closely.

"…and failed." It was a female voice. "So basically, what you're saying is that you're practically incompetent. You've had weeks, and you haven't managed to even _injure_ either one of them. Father will be most displeased."

"I'm trying, but it's more difficult than we anticipated. I have rarely seen the King, and Arthur is almost never alone- his servant is always with him. And I'm afraid the boy may suspect something- he seems to have been watching me since my first attempt. Fortunately, he would never dare to raise an accusation against a Knight."

"You are lucky that it was not one of the other Knights who noticed. You were careless."

"I know. But I have been more cautious since then. Do not fear though- I am sure I will be able to accomplish my goal soon. The Pendragons will die, and magic will be allowed to return to the Kingdom. You will be free." Their unknown eavesdropper barely managed to prevent himself from gasping. _So the sister has magic_.

"But what of the servant you mentioned?"

"Merlin?"

"Indeed. Should I deal with him for you? It should not prove too hard." Merlin pressed his ear closer to the door, straining to make sure he caught every word. Why did it always end up like this? Why did he always have to draw the attention of the worst people? Still, on the bright side, at least this time he knew they were after him _before_ they tried to get him killed.

"How?"

There was silence for a moment before the reply came.

"I will attract some creatures to the forest. Arthur will surely be told of the threat- you must ensure that you are the only one to go with him. Use the opportunity wisely. If, as you believe, the servant boy suspects something, then he is sure to follow. I will intercept him."

Merlin quickly backed away, rushing on the way to his room. This was worse than he thought- it seemed like the entire house of Haskel were involved in this. But he could worry about that later. For now, he had to ensure their current plan failed. He had to try and stop them before Arthur was even called out there. But how?

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**So there we go- I hope that helps explain why Alan is such a meanie *Growls at Alan* Look forward to the next chapter- there are some good bits coming up :) And remember- reviews (even critical ones) spur me on, so please let me know what you think :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, I know I said at the beginning that I was probably only going to update once per day, but I had a sudden urge to put the next chapter up now. Once again, thanks to those who have reviewed- please keep them coming *Puppy-dog eyes* Well, I hope you enjoy it :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Five**

As Arthur sat down to breakfast the next morning, Merlin decided- for want of a better plan- that he would attempt to explain at least part of the situation to the Prince.

"Arthur…" Unfortunately for him, it was at that precise moment that there came an urgent knock at the door.

"Come in."

The door swung open to reveal a rather hurried-looking guard. "The King requires your presence immediately sire."

"What's happened?"

"I wasn't told anything sire, apart from that it was urgent."

"I'm on my way." Deserting his breakfast, the Prince immediately marched out of his room, a panicked Merlin rushing to keep up. He had a bad feeling about this.

* * *

They reached the main hall within a matter of minutes, Uther looking up from the spread of papers on the table as his son entered.

"Ah, Arthur."

"I was told you wished to see me father."

"I did. We received a report this morning that a group of Serkets have amassed at the edge of the darkling woods." Merlin had to stop himself from swearing at this news- the siblings had moved faster than he had anticipated. "Not many, but enough that the people will begin to avoid the area. I want you to ride out immediately to deal with them." Sir Alan, who had been standing at the edge of the room, stepped forward.

"Sire." All heads turned towards him. "Forgive me for interrupting, but may I suggest that I accompany the Prince? Serkets can be notoriously difficult to deal with, and while I do not doubt his talent, I believe it best for Arthur not to face this threat alone."

Uther nodded his approval. "Very well."

"We depart in half an hour." Arthur turned towards the door. "Merlin, I need you to saddle my horse immediately." Once they were out of earshot, Merlin spoke.

"You can't go. Not with Alan."

"It's already been decided. And that's _Sir_ Alan to you."

"At least let me come with you."

"Not this time Merlin."

"But…"

"Merlin, I said no. Serkets are extremely dangerous."

"I know." _Better than you think._ "But you can't go alone with him."

Arthur stopped in his tracks, turning to face his servant with folded arms.

"Why?"

Merlin struggled to find an answer. Alan had been right about one thing- there was no way he could accuse a noble of treason. Not without certain proof. "I… can't say." Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Well _there's_ a surprise."

"Arthur, will you please just trust me on this. You cannot go with just Alan." Arthur frowned, causing him to rephrase. "Oh fine- _Sir_ Alan. If you must go, then please- let me come with you."

The Prince hesitated for a moment, surveying his friend's earnest expression. He knew of Merlin's loyalty. And he also knew just how often this bumbling servant boy had been proved right in the most dire of circumstances. Finally, he relented.

"Very well, but I want you to be especially careful. At the first sign of danger, get out of the way. You are not- I repeat _not_ to attempt to fight the Serkets. Understood?"

The warlock gave an exuberant nod, grinning widely.

"Got it."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Merlin was in the courtyard, with two horses saddled..

He was shifting impatiently, waiting for the two nobles to arrive, when he felt a tap on the back of his shoulder. Turning, he saw Elira beaming up at him. Arthur's words from yesterday sprung unbidden to his mind, and he felt the beginnings of a blush tinge his cheeks.

"Where are you going?"

He swallowed dryly before replying- _why was he suddenly so nervous?_- and attempted his usual carefree grin.

"Oh, just to face down a few fierce beasts. Nothing to worry about."

Her smile quickly shifted to an expression of concern. "Honestly?"

"Honestly."

"Will you be careful?"

"Of course- you know me. Always careful." Her frown deepened. "Well, at least, always careful in the face of almost certain death." He really wasn't improving this. "Look- don't worry. I've been through worse before, and I always come back just fine."

Elira didn't seem to be able to answer him. She dithered for a while, fiddling with her dress with fumbling fingers. Suddenly, she darted forward on her tiptoes, planting a light kiss on his lips. "Come back safely." Before he could answer, she ran off, face bright red. Merlin couldn't blame her- his own cheeks were burning quite strongly. He raised a hand to his lips- still in shock- then quickly lowered it, shaking his head to try and block the emotions rushing through him. Turning, he saw a rather amused Arthur standing at the base of the steps, arms folded and eyebrows raised.

"So- that's the girl you 'don't like in that way' eh?" The redness in the young warlock's cheeks grew worse as he struggled to find an appropriate response. Giving up, he settled for the usual.

"Prat."

It was while the two men were standing in awkward silence that Alan arrived, his own servant leading the Knight's horse before departing. He frowned slightly as he noticed Merlin.

"Is he coming with us sire?"

"He is."

"Do you think that wise sire? This may be dangerous, and he lacks the ability to defend himself."

"You needn't worry, Merlin has lived through worse scrapes before and emerged miraculously unscathed. For the life of me, I can't figure out how he manages it. And besides, if the worse comes to the worse, he'll make excellent bait for us to get away." Merlin shivered slightly at his friend's words. It may have just been a joke, but he still hadn't forgotten his last run-in with Serkets. Not that Arthur actually knew about that.

"Very well then sire." Alan turned, and this time even Arthur managed to get a view of the large scowl on the man's face before he had fully turned away. Arthur quickly shot a glance at Merlin, who shot one back. No doubt the Prince had started to see some of the truth in the young man's warnings.

Alan didn't put up any more resistance to Merlin's presence as they rode away. He couldn't- not without risking revealing part of his plan. Merlin allowed himself a small smile. Looked like he had won this one.

* * *

Near the edge of the darkling woods, a brown-haired sorceress knelt and waited in silence, hidden from view by the protection of the trees. She had taken the time to set a marker earlier to notify her when the idiot Prince passed with her brother. All she had to do then was wait for a third warning from the spell before launching her trap. The servant would be dead before he knew it.

A quick ringing sound in her ear told her that one horse had entered the woods. And there was another- that made two. She began to rise. Now all that was left was to… another ring. There were three riders? How could that be?

Confused, and slightly annoyed, she glanced around the tree directly shielding her from the riders' view. Drawing in a sharp breath, she barely managed to contain the scream of frustration that threatened to escape her lips. The servant was _with_ them! Why? How incompetent could her brother be? How difficult could it be to simply get the Prince to leave that annoyance behind?

Unable to contain her anger, she accidentally loosed a short blast of energy into her surroundings, killing two of the birds nested above her. She was so absorbed in her rage that she didn't see the servant boy's eyes flicker towards her. Merlin had felt the magic- had felt the fury behind it. And he knew that she would not stop at this.

Drawing on her last reserves of patience, the sorceress waited until the horses were out of earshot before storming back towards the city, sending small creatures scurrying from the strength of her wrath. Next time- she would get them next time. She _was going to win. No matter what._

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**So, how was it? Please review- I love hearing your opinions :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Don't really know what to say, except that I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please review. (Pretty pretty please with sprinkles on top)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Six**

It didn't take long for the group of Serkets to be wiped out. Merlin had, as promised, stayed at a distance while the two Knights dealt with the creatures. There had only been five of the of them, so he hadn't even needed to interfere with the whole affair. It looked like this sister of Alan's didn't have enough strength to gather many of the beasts- that explained why their plan had depended on Alan being the one who would need to land the final blow. Too bad for them he couldn't do much while a certain servant was there to warn the Prince if he had tried anything.

After a search of the surrounding area to ensure there were no more of the creatures to pose a threat to the people, the group returned to Camelot. They arrived in the courtyard, clambering down from their horses in front of the main stairs. Arthur was just handing his reins to Merlin when a petite girl with brown hair barrelled into Alan from behind.

"Brother!" Exclaimed a cheerful- sounding voice. "How glad I am to see that you have returned safely."

Alan turned, peeling his sister from him as he did so. He put on a disapproving tone, scolding his sister "Rosalind! You know father disapproves of you behaving so childishly." He faced Arthur, ignoring the pout his sister had plastered on her face. "I apologise sire. My sister, Rosalind. She may be older than me, but I swear she still behaves like a child."

"You needn't apologise Alan," smiled Arthur, "It is I who should- for I have kept you from your family. I should have remembered your sister was visiting." He turned to speak to Rosalind, reverting to the more polite tone he used in more formal situations. "I apologise for not greeting you sooner- I trust that you have enjoyed your stay so far?"

"I have sire, thank you. I regret though, that I have not as yet completed everything I wished to accomplish during my trip." She shot Arthur a flirtatious grin. "I may well extend it for a week or two."

"Then I look forward to seeing you again. For now though, I shall leave you and your brother in peace. I'm afraid I have a report to make." He strode away, glancing back when he reached the stairs to see Merlin staring at the siblings, open-mouthed. "Merlin!" The manservant's eyes flicked to him. "The horses!"

"Yes sire."

As he led the horses back to the stables, Merlin shook his head in bewilderment. He really hadn't expected such a shift in behaviour- if he hadn't already known, he would never have been able to decipher the threat hidden in the young woman's words. The girl was definitely a good actress. But he had felt the way she had used her magic back in the woods, and it had not been deliberate. In fact, it was similar to the outbursts of power Morgana exhibited when she could not control her temper. He sighed- why were all of these high-born women so temperamental?

* * *

Half an hour later, Merlin had just finished laying out Arthur's lunch when the Prince burst into the room. He had spoken to his father and assured him that the threat had been taken care of. The day had been a successful one, so Merlin could see no reason for the anger in the young man's face.

"Anything the matter sire?"

The Prince glared at him for a second, before realising who he was talking to. His expression softened slightly, falling into mere annoyance. "I met Rosalind on my way here."

"Alan's sister?"

Arthur didn't even pause to berate him for dropping Alan's title, instead just sitting at the table. "Yes."

"What's wrong with that? I was under the impression that you liked her. I mean- you were polite enough earlier."

"Oh, she's perfectly nice. It's just that she seems to have developed a bit of a liking for me. I merely greeted her, and she kept me in the corridor for at least ten minutes. She wouldn't stop flirting." He picked up one of the chicken legs from his plate, tearing off some of the meat with his teeth.

"I thought you were used to that though. You're the one who's always bragging how popular you are with the ladies."

Arthur finished his mouthful before speaking. "Yes, but _normally_ when they talk to me, it's at some sort of function. And _normally_ when they talk to me, it's not while Guinevere is passing by."

"Ah." It clicked. "So that's it- you're not mad that she was flirting with you- you're mad because Gwen found out about it."

Arthur sputtered slightly. "That… is _not _why I am mad. In fact- I'm not even mad."

Merlin grinned cheekily. "Oh, I think it is. And I think you are."

"Am not!"

"Are to. I can tell. To quote you- even a blind man could tell."

Arthur couldn't find a reply fast enough, so he settled for the next best option. Grabbing the nearest missile he could lay a hand on (which, in this case, happened to be a sausage), he chucked it at his manservant. For once, Merlin actually managed to grab it out of the air before it hit him square in the face.

_Ah well- no reason to stop now_ reasoned the young warlock. He took a bite from the sausage. "Thanks- I was just hoping for some meat in my next meal. Now I don't have to worry about it." The next thing to come flying was the goblet, which he ducked. "Honestly Arthur- you have to watch that temper of yours. Just imagine what would happen if that had had water in it yet." He pulled one of his favourite mock-worried faces. "You could have slipped and hurt yourself. Just think what Gwen would have said if she heard how silly you had been."

"Merlin." Arthur's voice took on a more menacing tone.

"Yes Arthur?"

"I suggest you Shut. Up." The Prince gave him a smug look. "Unless you _want _be clearing out the stables every day for the next month.."

Merlin quickly settled down. "Yes sire. Shutting up now." And he did. Well- apart from the slight munching sounds as he devoured the rest of the sausage. After all- it was unlikely that Arthur would want it back _now_, would he. He made a mental note to himself to go and talk to Gwen at some point. As much as he teased his friend, he really didn't want any misunderstandings to be formed because of something so stupid.

* * *

After having returned Arthur's now empty tray to the kitchens, Merlin quickly flicked through the chores he had left to do in his mind. There was nothing urgent, as Arthur would be spending most of the remainder of the day sorting out various pieces of paperwork. As such, he reasoned that he could spare a few minutes to go and talk to Gaius. The old man had helped him sort out numerous crises in the past, and Merlin had no doubt whatsoever that he would know the best course of action to take regarding Alan and Rosalind.

With that in mind, he hurried over to the Physician's chambers. Checking to make sure that no-one was around to overhear, he entered to find Gaius pouring over some form of medical book.

"Gaius."

The old man looked up, slightly annoyed at the interruption. "What is it Merlin?"

"I need your help."

Gaius sighed, placing the book to one side. "Very well, but it better be important. I was in the middle of trying to find a way to cure the rather unusual purple pimples which have sprouted on Mrs. Pickers' back." Merlin hurried to squash the disturbing images now floating through his head.

"It is. Arthur's in danger."

Gaius was immediately serious. "I'm listening."

The young warlock quickly launched into a description of all that he had learnt regarding the two siblings- beginning with the attack by the bandits, and finishing on Rosalind's strange behaviour towards Arthur since the two had been introduced earlier that day. As the explanation went on, Gaius' eyebrow gradually grew higher, and by the time Merlin finished the old man was in full crisis mode.

"Hmmm… It sounds as though it is possible that Rosalind has changed her strategy slightly. It is entirely possible that she intends to lure Arthur into a false sense of security around her before she tries again. However, I may be wrong. For now, it is best that we keep an eye out. Make sure that Arthur is never alone with either one."

"Right." Merlin nodded. Gaius was right. There was nothing either of them could do unless the pair tried again- if they voiced an accusation like this against a noble, Uther would be likely to imprison them for a while- or worse. They could not take that risk.

"Merlin."

Merlin switched his attention back to the Physician. "Yes Gaius?"

The old man waved his hands in a clear sign of dismissal, before speaking in a rather exasperated tone. "Go!"

"Ah- right" With that settled for now, the young man rushed off. While he may have been able to spare a few minutes, that didn't change the fact that he still had quite a number of chores to do if he was going to keep the Prince happy. And Arthur could be particularly moody when doing paperwork…

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***Sighs* It kind of bugs me that Elira's not in this chapter, but I've got some nice moments planned (which I really hope you'll like). Besides, at least I got to write a bit about Gaius. In the meantime, please review :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Okey-dokey. I'll start off by giving a thumbs up to those of you who have reviewed this story (Especially Loopstagirl, who hasn't missed a single chapter). Please continue sending them, as it really helps me to get going :) Hope you like this chapter :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Seven**

The next day, Merlin was just clearing out the stables (he had managed to make Arthur mad the previous night by tripping over and spilling half a jug of water over him) when he heard a knock against the old wooden door. Looking up, he saw Elira standing there with a cup.

As soon as their eyes met, neither of the two could prevent the immediate and overwhelming blush which overcame them as they remembered the 'incident' the day before. Barely four seconds passed before they looked away, both suddenly incredibly interested in their surroundings.

"I…um…" Elira was the first to speak. "I heard that you were out here, and… well… I thought that you might be thirsty, and… um…"

Merlin used up most of his willpower to walk over and take the cup from her, struggling to calm the beating of his heart. "Thanks." Once again, their eyes connected momentarily- green on blue.

"I feel I should apologise for my… Um…rash behaviour yesterday," continued Elira, "It was most untoward of me. You must have been shocked"

"Oh no!" _Darn it! Why couldn't he look at her? _"It was, well… that is to say, well… while it is true that I was surprised, I…it's not like I didn't enjoy…" He stopped. _What on earth was he saying?_

Her head snapped up, and while she was still clearly embarrassed, there was a glimmer of hope sparkling in her eyes. "You mean you… didn't mind?"

"Oh no! Not at all! I just… wasn't… expecting it." Feeling somewhat overwhelmed, Merlin took the opportunity to quickly gulp down the water she had given him. Refreshed, he handed the cup back to her, their fingers touching as he did so. Each of them, shocked, looked down at their respective digits like they were suddenly foreign bodies acting of their own accord. Merlin quickly drew his hand back, holding it in the air by his head for a second before letting it drop to his side. "Sorry."

"Oh, it's fine." They both stared at each other for a few seconds before Elira continued to talk. "Merlin?"

"Yes?"

"Um…I was just wondering if…" She shook her head, appearing to change her mind.

"What is it?"

"It's nothing."

For some reason, Merlin felt as though he just _had_ to hear what she was going to say. "No, no. Go ahead. Please."

She kept her eyes focused on the floor. "I was just wondering… if you would like to come with me for a walk at some point- only if you're free of course!"

He froze for a second, a ball of joy threatening to burst out of his chest. "Of course."

"Really?"

"Yes- I mean, I'd be happy to. And Arthur won't mind- he seems to think I spend most of my time lazing about anyway."

She beamed up at him. "That's great. Just… just let me know when, and I can get some time off too."

"Well Arthur's got training tomorrow, so not then…how about the day after tomorrow?"

"Alright." She gave a wide smile. "The day after tomorrow then."

"I'll see you then."

"In the courtyard after lunch?"

"Alright."

"Alright." She smiled again. "I better get going." And with that, she ran off, one hand to her cheek.

Merlin stood stock still for several moments before the meaning of what had occurred finally sank in. He still wasn't quite sure that it had actually happened. He stayed there, processing it, for a few minutes before finally remembering what it was he was supposed to be doing. It was probably the only time in his life he would _ever_ find himself humming while mucking out the stables.

* * *

He was still smiling to himself when he took up Arthur's dinner later that day. Of course, the young Prince noticed almost immediately.

Arthur stared at him suspiciously for a few seconds. "What's got you so eager all of a sudden?"

"Oh, nothing." Darn it- why could he never sound innocent when he wanted to? He couldn't even look at Arthur for fear he'd let something slip.

"Oh really?"

"Really. It's nothing." He tried to ignore the pointed look, but try as he might a nervous laugh still escaped him. "It's nothing."

"Hmmm?" Arthur was obviously dubious, but seemed willing to let it go. For now at least. As he stood, watching the Prince tuck into the meal he'd brought him (an extra big one to soften him up), Merlin eventually decided that he may as well just ask the man and get it over with.

He gave a small cough into his hand to gain attention. It didn't work. He tried again. Twice. Finally, Arthur set down the food he'd been about to put in his mouth, slammed his hands down on the table, and turned to face his manservant.

"What is it Merlin?"

"Um…I was just wondering if I might be allowed to have a few hours off the day after tomorrow."

"Why?" Arthur was growing suspicious.

"Oh, it's nothing major- I'm just… meeting a friend." Unfortunately, he couldn't quite prevent the faint colouring of his cheeks. A fact Arthur was quick to notice.

"Oh really?"

"Really."

"A friend?"

"A friend."

"A _male_ friend?"

Merlin stammered a bit. "Well… um… not _exactly_ a _male_ friend- but definitely a friend."

"So it's a girl?"

"Kind of."

"Any girl in particular?"

Okay- now Arthur was just playing with him. The answer was fairly obvious from the blush now spanning right across his face. Did he _really_ have to make him say it? He fumbled for a minute, watching as the Prince's expression grew more and more amused.

"Oh fine," he snapped, "It's Elira okay!"

Arthur leaned triumphantly back in his chair. "I knew it."

"Did you really have to force me to actually say it?"

"Of course."

"Why?"

Arthur just looked at his friend like the answer was obvious. "Because it's fun." The young Prince immediately went back to his meal, laughing slightly at the glower upon his servant's face. "Now come on- don't look at me like that. After all the times you've teased me about Guinevere I think it's about time I got my own back."

Merlin relented slightly- he still wasn't willing to give up pouting, but Arthur _did_ have a point- he had badgered him quite a bit about the man's feelings for Gwen.

"Still, you didn't have to be so insistent over it. Prat."

"Idiot."

The rest of the meal passed without a word spoken by either of them. It wasn't until Merlin was at the door with the tray in his hand that Arthur finally gave his answer.

"Merlin."

"Yes prat?"

"Yes, you can have a bit of time off."

Merlin grinned his thanks, not quite believing his ears. "Re…"

"…Provided, of course, that you get all of your chores done on time."

He groaned. "Yes sire."

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**Awww- Even I find them cute. Go Elira!**

**p.s. Last episode of the series tonight- how sad is that? :'(**


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay- before I get down to anything- how AWESOME was last night's finale! Absolutely brilliant!**

**Right, now that I've got that out of my system (sort of) I hope you enjoy today's chapter. If you do (or even if you don't) then please review and let me know- every one helps :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Eight**

Rosalind sat in her brother's chambers, tapping one foot impatiently. She still couldn't believe Alan's incompetence had forced her to extend her stay. She honestly hadn't expected this to take so long- how hard could it be to simply murder the two most powerful men in the kingdom? Mind you- he had always been a bit of a disappointment to her.

She was just taking a sip of wine from the goblet in her hand when the door opened and Alan entered, tearing off his gauntlets. He nodded to acknowledge her presence.

"Rosalind."

"You're late."

He groaned. "I know. I'm sorry- that stupid Prince had us practising all sorts of ridiculous manoeuvres."

"Fine then. I forgive you." She was in a gracious mood.

Alan heaved a sigh of relief- he had faced his sister's anger many times in the past, and had no desire to do so again. He still bore some of the scars from the time he had accidentally torn the hem of her favourite dress. "Have you been enjoying yourself?"

She snorted. "Hardly. Do you have _any_ idea how hard it is for me to keep up that _ridiculous_ façade each time I go out in public? Not to mention the simpering act I am forced to put on each time that blockheaded blond boor is anywhere near. I spend most of my time fighting back the urge to throw up."

"I am most sorry Rosalind- it is all my fault for not managing to prevent Merlin from coming with us the other day. I will try harder next time- you won't have to put up with it for long."

"I should hope not- for your sake as much as mine. If we fail next time because of your stupidity I will not be held liable for the consequences."

Alan couldn't quite prevent himself from cringing at the thought. "Have you decided on our next method?"

"Of course! As we can't very well use the same method again…" Rosalind shot a glare at her brother- as far as she was concerned, it was his fault that they were even in this situation at all. "I have decided to try for a more subtle approach. I will find a way to get close to Arthur- attempt to get him alone and away from that pest of a servant boy. All we need to do is find a suitable way to kill him when I have done so without incriminating ourselves. Once he is dead, and the King's heart is broken, we can find a way to rid ourselves of the biggest pest of all- that moron Uther."

The Knight refrained from pointing out that this was no more of a plan than they already had, and provided no help to the pair whatsoever, choosing instead to simply incline his head toward his sister. It looked like it would fall to him to actually determine the best method of wiping the two out. That didn't matter though- as long as Rosalind believed it to be her own plan then he wouldn't be forced to go through her punishments once again. His sister could be most… inventive when she wanted to.

* * *

Both Merlin and Arthur were exhausted. Shortly after training had ended, and the young warlock had removed his master's armour, the two had been walking around the castle so that Arthur could do one of his customary checks to make sure the guards were all in their positions, when they were greeted part way by an enthusiastic Rosalind. She had followed the Prince around for two hours, pestering him with questions about what he was doing at that moment, what he usually did, what he was going to do later, and much more. But not only did Arthur have to put up with this seemingly endless stream of questions (with Merlin behind them getting more and more fidgety), he was also constantly being reminded by the girl of how manly and attractive he was. Apparently, he was her 'exact type'.

By the time they finally managed to escape her and make their way back to the Prince's chambers, it was all Arthur could do to simply remove his boots before collapsing face-first onto the bed. Merlin found his reprieve by leaning wearily back against the door.

"I swear," said Arthur, lifting his head just high enough that his voice wasn't entirely muffled by pillows, "if I have to spend five more minutes with that girl prattling away in my ear, I may just lose my mind."

"It'd be kind of hard," muttered Merlin cheekily, "seeing as you don't have much of one to begin with."

Arthur just glared at him, too drained to even throw a pillow. "You know what Merlin?"

"What?"

"One of these days, you'll realise that you really can't speak to me like that."

"Well, I guess I'll just have to get as much fun out of it as possible until then." This remark was promptly followed by another round of glaring. It ended with Arthur flipping over onto his back.

"Do you think she's doing it on purpose?"

"Do I think who's doing what on purpose?"

"Rosalind. Being that annoying."

Merlin paused before answering. What was he supposed to say? _Yes, she's doing it on purpose- her actual plan is to try and kill you._ Arthur would either think he was joking, or else that he was even more of a dunce than the Prince had originally thought.

"I really couldn't say."

"You really are no help at all are you?"

"Now I wouldn't say that- I already helped today. In a big way."

Arthur propped himself up on his elbows, shooting Merlin a disbelieving look. "How on _earth_ did you help? All you did was walk behind us the whole time."

"Precisely- just think of what might have happened if I hadn't been there- she could have pounced on you."

Arthur couldn't help but shudder at the thought. "Fair enough. I have a new order for you."

Merlin looked at his friend apprehensively. "What?"

"You are never-" Arthur pointed a finger at his servant, "-and I mean _never_ to leave me alone with that girl."

The servant in question grinned in reply. "Got it. Never leave you alone with the scary girl." _Works out just fine for me- at least that way she won't get a chance to try anything funny._

"Good."

A thought crossed Merlin's mind. "One question."

"What?"

"How are you going to manage tomorrow?"

"What do you mean how am I…" Arthur paused, realisation dawning. He grinned at his friend. "Oh, you mean while you're out with your _friend_?"

The young warlock tried not to look embarrassed. Tried. And failed. "Mm-hmm."

"You needn't worry Merlin, I'll just stay in here while you're out with your little lady-friend. I still have plenty of paperwork to do." He paused, before continuing to himself under his breath. "Never thought the day would come that I would actually prefer paperwork to seeing a girl."

Merlin just nodded- at least that tied up one loose end.

"Well then, if you'll just excuse me for a moment, I'll go and fetch a dinner fit for a royal prat." Leaving before Arthur could reply, he didn't see Arthur's indignant expression change to a more good-natured one. He may enjoy teasing Merlin about it, but truth-be-told he was actually glad that he had managed to find himself a girl. He'd never actually seen Merlin talking to any women his own age for long- apart, of course, from Guinevere or Morgana, both of whom were more like friends.

He frowned slightly- remembering that, for some reason, there seemed to have been a distance between Merlin and Morgana of late. This thought was quickly shrugged off though- the two had probably just had some minor falling out. Nothing to worry about.

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**Okay. I've been wanting to say this ever since I thought up this chapter, so here goes- I HATE ROSALIND! I honestly never thought I could hate one of my own characters as much as I do her. She bugs me so much. I even started feeling sorry for Alan! I am eternally grateful I don't know anyone as mean and twisted as she is. Grrrrrr!**


	9. Chapter 9

**So, here's what you've been waiting for- Merlin and Elira's first ever date. I'll leave you to it...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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****Chapter Nine**

The next day, after returning Arthur's lunch tray to the kitchens, Merlin hurried back to his room to prepare. Staring at the few outfits scattered over the floor, he found himself despairing slightly. Why was it only now that the fact he didn't have any decent clothes mattered?

Picking up his least shabby-looking blue shirt and red neckerchief, and shrugging on his jacket over the top, he walked back out into the main room of Gaius' chambers, trying to flatten his hair and humming out-of-tune as he did so. Only to find that Gaius himself had returned from his rounds, and was now staring at his ward in a most perplexed manner.

"Merlin! Whatever are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Arthur? What if Alan and Rosalind decide to make their move?"

"Don't worry- I've taken precautions against that. Arthur's going to be doing paperwork for the next few hours. I've already made sure he's got plenty of drink in the room, so I won't be needed for a while. He's given me some time off."

Gaius clapped his hands together. "Excellent- in that case, you can give me a hand with the leech tank. I also need some more herbs gathered, and Mrs Pickers will be needing someone to apply some lotion for her. Also…"

Merlin held up one hand to stop the old man before he could mention some other horrible task. He hadn't thought of this. He grinned- at least he had an excuse for once. He really didn't think he would enjoy rubbing lotion over Mrs. Pickers' pimples. "Can't. I'm meeting someone I'm afraid."

"Who?"

He felt the tips of his ears beginning to burn as he replied. "Elira."

"Elira?" Gaius frowned slightly, trying to place the name. "Ah- I remember- the girl you told me about. The clumsy one. The one you were talking to at Sir Alan's knighting ceremony."

"That's the one."

"Why on earth are you meeting her?"

The heat spread to the back of Merlin's neck. "We're going for a walk."

A quick look at his ward's expression, and a knowing smile began to play at the old Physician's lips.

"I see. Well then, I daresay I can manage alone here. I hope the two of you enjoy yourselves."

Merlin just nodded, rushing out of the room. He wasn't really keen on the idea of having to discuss his love life with a man he considered to be like a father to him. Instead, he quickly made his way out to the courtyard, stopping as he saw Elira.

She was standing by one of the statues at the base of the stairs, dressed in a pale-green dress he hadn't seen before. It suited her perfectly.

Jogging up, he grinned in response to the shy smile she sent his way. "You look lovely."

"Really?"

His breath caught slightly in his throat. He couldn't believe how nervous he was feeling. "Like a princess."

"You don't mean that." She gave a small smile. "I know I'm hardly princess material."

"No no- I'm serious. You look fantastic."

Elira blushed slightly, gesturing down the main street. "Shall we go?"

The two turned as one, heading down the street in silence, nerves forcing them to keep quiet. Neither really knew what they should be talking about. All they knew was that they were happy at being able to spend this small amount of time in each others' company.

Neither of them were aware that the crown Prince of Camelot was watching them out of the window in his chambers, a smile on his face as he turned and settled himself at his desk.

* * *

Before they had reached even half way through the lower town, a ruckus could be heard further along. There were shouts. Crashes. Merlin could feel small amounts of magic drifting through the air. He quickly placed his hand on Elira's shoulder, about to ask if she wanted to move to another spot before something happened.

Seconds later, the two of them were knocked apart, suddenly finding themselves on opposite sides of the street. Elira stumbled backwards, tripping over a fallen vase as she did so.

A man in a sweeping green cloak had rushed between them. Merlin had just enough time to see the fear written in his features before the man was gone. Almost immediately after, several guards ran past, yelling as they went.

"Stop him!"

"Sorcerer!"

"Stop!"

The noise was enough to attract the attention of everyone in the busy street. There was a scramble as people struggled to get out of the way as the sorcerer barrelled through them, pursued by the guards. Merlin took advantage of the chaos to make his way over to Elira, helping her to her feet.

"Are you alright?"

She gave a small nod, dusting herself off as she did so. "I'm fine. It'll take more than that to hurt me." A hint of a smile passed between them, before they turned their attention to the chase.

The pair of them watched as the man was cornered against a shop wall. He lifted one arm and whispered a single word and, with a flash of his eyes, one of the guards flew back several feet. The others moved fast, securing his arms behind the man's back before he could do anything else and dragging him off towards the dungeons. There was no doubt in any of the bystanders' minds that he would be dead within a matter of days.

* * *

Leaving the main city in silence, Merlin led the way to a small stream he had seen in the past. The sorcerer's fate was still heavy in his mind, and he could see that the same seemed to be true for Elira. They sat, without a word, their backs against a tree, watching the water flow steadily past them.

After a while, a thought crossed the young Warlock's mind. One day, if he wasn't careful, he may find himself the one being led away to his execution. It was something he had considered before, but now there was something new. Now, he couldn't help but wonder- how would that make Elira feel? He didn't want her to be left behind- especially if she didn't know the truth about him. His thoughts whirled as he tried to think of what he could say to her. He might not be able to actually tell her about his magic yet- he didn't want to put her under that much pressure- but he at least wanted to know one thing.

With his eyes still focused on the stream, he asked his question, his voice quiet. "Elira- what do you think of magic?"

The girl at his side stiffened considerably. Turning to look at her, he saw tears filming her eyes. Her expression had hardened into one he had never seen on her before. One he had never dreamt he would. She answered him with utter conviction.

"I hate it."

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**Wah! I'm sorry :'(**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi- me again. Thanks so much to those of you who have reviewed :) I apologise in advance that this chapter is a bit short, but I reckon if I tried to force it out any more it might disrupt the story line. I hope you like it :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Ten**

Merlin felt the knot of misery as it formed in his chest, quickly spreading throughout his entire body. His mind was reeling from what he had just heard. '_I hate it_'. Elira's words forced themselves deep into his heart, hurting him more than he could ever have believed possible. He held back the strangled cry he could feel rising to his throat, quickly trying to steady his breathing before it gave away his pain.

"You…?"

"Hate magic."

He softened his voice as much as he could, concentrating to make sure he let none of his emotional turmoil show in his words. She seemed so sure- so certain in this point. _Something_ must have happened to make her answer with such assuredness. "Why?"

There was a pause before she answered- her voice delicate, vulnerable. "Merlin, I can trust you, can't I?"

"Of course."

"You won't tell anyone?"

"Never." _Whatever it is_.

As she lifted her face, a single tear rolled down her cheek. "You remember I told you that my family had all died?"

Merlin felt his apprehension, his horror, grow more pronounced as he realised what she must be about to tell him. "Yes."

"They didn't just die. They were killed. By a sorcerer."

The young warlock's heart beat faster and faster, threatening to tear itself from his chest. His next question was short, his voice strangled. He couldn't manage more than a single word. "How?"

Elira looked down at her hands, now clasped in her lap. She drew her knees up, huddling into herself. Then she took a deep, shuddering breath, and launched into her story.

"It happened five years ago. I had been out, in the meadow near where I lived. When I was almost home, I heard voices from our house. Raised voices. There was one I didn't recognise, and my father…" She paused, wiping a tear from her face. "I was scared. I'd never heard my father this angry before. So I stayed outside, looking in through the gap in the door. There was a man there, yelling. My father was saying something about how he had a duty- how he had to tell the King of what he had seen…Of what he had heard…

But the man wouldn't stop yelling. He came closer and closer to my family. He was terrifying- screaming about he was going to liberate the land, and how my father had no right to stand in his way." She stopped for a second, closing her eyes. "The next thing I knew, he had raised his arms, and his eyes glowed golden, like they were on fire. His voice changed, and he spoke in a language I had never heard before. My entire family was thrown across the room. Again and again."

Elira clutched her head in her hands, shaking her head violently. "When he finally left, I went into the house. They were all there. My father, my mother. Even my younger brother, Fabian. There was so much blood- it was everywhere- all over the room."

Elira looked up at Merlin, shaking, and the pain in her expression was almost unbearable for him to see. He drew her into a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry." It was all he could say. "I'm so sorry." They stayed like that for a short time, until Elira calmed down enough to continue. Eventually, she drew back.

"I ended up moving in with another family. But all I could remember was their bodies, just lying there. I couldn't take it. I would dream about it every night. Dream about his face. His eyes. They were just like the man earlier. Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore. I saved up money, helping to mend clothes and other work around the village. When I had enough, I moved to Camelot. It was the only place I knew I would be safe. The one place most sorcerers fear to go."

Merlin pulled her back into his arms, stroking her hair. After a few seconds, she let it all out, crying into his shoulder, collapsing into him. He just sat there the whole time, unable to speak, pain ripping throughout his entire body. How could this be? He had finally found someone again- someone who he had believed would be able to accept him. And she was terrified of magic. Terrified of the very thing that had made him who he was. Terrified of the very thing that had given him a purpose in life- given him a destiny.

* * *

Over an hour later, the two walked back into the city. They had hardly spoken since then- Elira had cried until she could cry no more, and then they had just sat, staring at the stream.

Arriving back in the courtyard, she turned to face him.

"Thank you for today. I'm so sorry that I…"

He shook his head, forcing himself to smile. "It was no problem. Any time you need to talk, I'll be there for you."

"Thank you." She sent him a smile. "I'll see you soon?"

"Of course. Can't get rid of me."

As he watched her walk away, Merlin let the smile fade. Let his shoulders drop. He could never tell her- not now. But he couldn't bear to part from her either. He felt like he was being torn in two separate directions- destiny, or love. Could he really only have one or the other?

He waited for the next ten minutes in a quiet niche behind the stables, calming his raging emotions, making sure he would be able to put on his usual grin. But as he walked back to check on Arthur, he still couldn't shake the question from his mind. Love and destiny. Could he really not have them both? Was he going to have to choose between the two?

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**Waaaaah! I hate myself :'( Poor Merlin! Poor Elira! *Huddles into a pile in a cupboard***


	11. Chapter 11

**Not really sure what to say today, so I'll just leave you to the story :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Eleven**

By the time Merlin reached Arthur's chambers, he had managed to push his thoughts of Elira's revelation to the back of his mind. They remained there, a constant ache in his heart, but he was confident enough that he would be able to hide his pain from Arthur. Just like he had so many times in the past. Because he knew that if Arthur realised that something was wrong, he would push and push until Merlin gave him an answer. And with how he felt right now, the young warlock wasn't sure he would be able to come up with a decent cover story.

As he pushed open the door, Arthur looked up.

"Ah. You're back." A grin spread across his face. "So, how'd it go?"

Merlin tried to act nonchalant- it's how he would normally react. He walked over to the side, picking up the jug that stood there. "How did what go?"

"Don't give me that," teased Arthur, "how did it go?"

Steeling himself, Merlin turned to Arthur, a giant smile plastered across his face. "None of your business."

"Merlin."

"Yes Arthur?"

The Prince stared at him for a few seconds, before leaning back in his chair and indicating to his empty Goblet. "Get me a drink will you? And then we're going for a walk- I don't think I can stand being cooped up in here for another second."

Without a word Merlin hurried to pour his friend some water, a single look passing between them to express his silent thanks for not questioning him any further. Arthur, no doubt, would simply think that he was too embarrassed to talk about what had transpired. For once, he was thankful for the meagre level of interest the man seemed to have in his life.

Arthur, meanwhile, was trying not to look at his manservant. He had a sneaking suspicion that there was something he wasn't telling him. Evidently, something had occurred on his 'walk' that had shaken the younger man. He had received a report earlier that a sorcerer had been caught in the lower town. Could it be that Merlin felt some level of sympathy towards the man? He had always had an abnormal amount of sympathy towards the strangest of causes- the animals they hunted for one. Or could it be something else? Either way, he knew Merlin well enough to be able to tell that he would learn nothing by questioning him. So, instead, he had decided that they could go for a walk to allow his friend to take his mind off of whatever it was that was bothering him. Not that he would ever tell Merlin his reasoning. It just couldn't be done.

* * *

Rosalind paused before exiting her chambers. Grimacing internally, she forced a sweet, innocent smile onto her face, covering up her usually disdainful expression. After a second to prepare herself for the agony of having to once again force herself to behave as though she was on the same level as those worthless excuses of human beings, she pushed open the door and practically skipped down the hallway, nodding 'cheerfully' to each person she met along the way.

After about ten minutes of meaningless wandering, she spied Arthur in the distance.

She ran over to him, waving in an excited and gleeful manner, and forced herself not to scream when she witnessed the young raven-haired eyesore trotting along at the idiot's side. _Why?_ She raged, _why is it that I never come across them separately?_

Forcing her tone to mimic that of the flirtatious fools who made up Camelot's ladies of the Court, she called out to the Prince. "Oh Arthur!" After a few seconds, he turned towards her, a polite smile gracing his lips. _Disgusting_.

* * *

Merlin and Arthur were just passing by the courtyard when an unwelcome voice interrupted their playful banter.

"Oh Arthur!" came the simpering yell. Both of the young men froze, Arthur taking a deep breath before turning towards this new annoyance in his life.

"Rosalind. How lovely to see you again."

The girl quickly hurried to link her arm in his, apparently not noticing the way Arthur immediately stiffened. "Indeed, I've been hoping to run into you." The flirtatious smile on her face quickly changed into a childlike pout. "I spent the entire day thinking that you must have been avoiding me"

The Prince couldn't quite prevent a small nervous laugh from escaping his lips. "Oh no, never." He shot a look at Merlin. "I've just been busy with some paperwork today. Taxes from the outlying villages."

"Oh my, such dedication. To think that you'd keep yourself inside on a lovely day like this." Long eyelashes fluttered. "Maybe I could help you to relieve some of that stress. You seem awfully tense."

Merlin could barely hold in a snort at this. Rosalind didn't even seem to notice that Arthur had been perfectly relaxed until the moment he'd heard her.

"I do have some wine back in my chambers," she continued, "I'd be more than happy for you to have some. It's quite divine."

Arthur quickly masked the distaste which flashed across his features. "As much as I would love to join you, my manservant and I were just on our way…" He hurried to think up a feasible excuse. "…to the armoury. We're checking on the conditions of the weapon supplies."

"Oh, well I could always come with you. You shouldn't only think about work you know- you'll get worry marks all over that gorgeous face of yours." Both men fought to hold back the urge to gag. This girl was just _too_ coquettish for them to handle. Arthur peeled her arm from his.

"Oh no my lady, you needn't worry. This is a task I quite enjoy. And I wouldn't want to tear you away from the precious time you have with your brother."

"Are you sure?"

"Quite certain."

"Very well then, I shall leave you too it. And I hope to see you _very_ soon."

Arthur forced himself to smile politely. "I hope so. Now, if you'll excuse us." After a quick nod farewell, the two men parted. Waiting until they were out of Rosalind's sight, they shot each other looks that clearly said _thank God we got away so fast_ before continuing on their way, automatically heading to the armoury as a means to back up Arthur's story.

Rosalind watched them leave, feeling extremely pleased with herself. It was so obvious that the moron Prince had fallen head-over-heels for her. She couldn't really blame him, considering who she was. It wouldn't be long before he came to her himself, seeking out her company. She took her time to reach her brother's chambers, greeting him with a smug expression on her face. The game had barely even begun.

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**"Grrr" *Glares at Rosalind*(I really don't like that girl. At. All.)**

**Please review (Thanks so much to those so far- they really help to keep my enthusiasm for the story up :D)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hmm... What to say... Ah- I know! THE MUNCHKINS ARE RUNNING! (Just a little thing of mine- remember to lock your doors at night, or they'll cause havoc :D)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Twelve**

Alan found himself pacing his chambers, unable to keep still. He was never sure exactly when his sister would decide to appear, and she hated to find him sitting when she did. Apparently, it made him appear slovenly. It was always best to be on the safe side, just in case.

He was there for about an hour, not daring to even sit for a moment, when Rosalind entered the room, a self-satisfied smirk spanning her features. Closing the door, she immediately walked across the room and sat facing him.

"You seem happy Rosalind." His sister frowned at these words. He fought of keep himself from cursing. He had, for just a moment, forgotten her rule about not speaking before she did. Another second, and he was quickly rewarded by a sharp, biting pain at the back of his knees. He fell, ending up kneeling in front of her.

"How many times?" she hissed, "How many times must I remind you, that to speak before I allow you shows one of the highest forms of disrespect?" The next invisible strike was across his face. Alan winced as he felt blood begin to drip down his face. Rosalind's voice grew threatening as she leaned towards him. "_How many times?_"

Hastening to bow his head, and fighting back the urge to wipe his face clean of blood, Alan hurried to apologise. "I apologise. I did not mean to speak out of term- I merely wished to enquire as to the success so far of your plan. I meant no offence."

Not daring to look up, he could only half see his sister as she sat back once again, seemingly appeased for now. "Very well. I accept your apology this time. You may rise." He did, holding back a grimace as he strained injured knees.

"Thank you."

Rosalind collected herself. "Now, as you appear to be so eager, then I shall tell you. My plan is progressing every bit as smoothly as I had hoped- the blockhead is obviously falling for me. He is no longer even able to keep his composure when I am around- it is most laughable. Within another day or two, I believe it will be a simple matter for me to entice him into an empty area." She paused for a second, glaring haughtily at Alan. "I trust you are fully prepared."

"Of course."

"Excellent. Now, as long as you don't mess things up, it should all go perfectly. Are you certain you will be able to ensure the servant is kept away from the Prince without raising suspicion?"

"Yes Rosalind. He is known for his clumsiness as it is- nobody would be the least bit surprised if he were to meet with… a small accident."

A gleefully malicious grin spread across Rosalind's face. Oh, how she loved all this plotting. While it was going this smoothly, it was just so much fun. It almost made her regretful she didn't get the opportunity to murder people more often.

* * *

Merlin passed the rest of the day running around doing tasks for Arthur and Gaius, completely oblivious to the siblings' meeting. By the time came that Arthur was finally in bed, he was completely exhausted. The Prince hadn't been joking when he'd said that Merlin would still have to complete all of his regular chores. He just hadn't mentioned the extra ones piled on top.

As he neared the Physician's chambers, he felt a gentle tug pull him into an empty room. He spun around, half expecting to find himself face-to-face with either Morgana or Rosalind. He wasn't quite sure which of the two he preferred. Seeing his abductor, he gasped.

"Elira!" She was shivering slightly, still wearing the same light dress from earlier in the day, with only a thin shawl draped across her shoulders. "What are you doing here? You should be home by now- it's freezing!"

Elira shook her head, a faint smile crossing her lips briefly. "I'm fine. I just… wanted to thank you again. For earlier."

Merlin ignored the sharp pain in his heart as he once again recalled her confession. "It was nothing. How are you feeling now?"

"Much better. Thank you." She stopped, obviously wanting to say more, but no words came. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Merlin gestured further into the room, towards the fireplace.

"Why don't we sit down?"

She nodded, and they made their way over, sitting down next to the hearth. Taking some flint from his pocket, Merlin quickly lit a fire. The pair huddled closer to the flames, sighing in relief as the warmth drove the cold from their bodies.

The young warlock sat and waited noiselessly, giving Elira time to gather her thoughts. Meanwhile, his own swirled around in a maelstrom in his head. What was he supposed to do? He couldn't just tell her about his magic- without proof, and with such an occurrence in her past, she would never so easily believe that magic could be a force for good as well as evil. And he couldn't give up on using magic- it was such as essential part of his being, and he needed it to help both Arthur and himself achieve their destinies. The two arguments tore his mind in two, raging a fierce battle until he finally settled on what seemed to him the only option he could bear.

He would have to teach Elira about the beauty which magic could hold.

He knew, of course, that such a mission would take a long time. But he was patient- he had to be, or he'd never have been able to put up with Arthur in the earlier days of their partnership. And he knew- just knew- that he couldn't choose one or the other. He couldn't just give Elira up. Not after he'd finally found love once again.

He was jolted abruptly out of his reverie by the sound of a small voice to his side.

"You're the first person I've told you know." He glanced at her quizzically. _Surely not?_ came the unspoken question. "I mean, the people in my village already knew, and they never talked about it while I was around in case it upset me. You're the only person I've ever actually spoken to about what happened."

Merlin blinked, not quite sure how to react. "I guess… I should feel honoured. That you trust me enough to tell me."

She smiled- just for a second. "To be perfectly honest, I'm not really sure why I did. I've never… never felt it so easy to open up before. I don't really understand it myself, but somehow, it just sort of burst out of me. I just knew that you'd be able to understand."

A few seconds passed before Merlin could speak. "I'm really glad you did. For one person to bear all of that pain… for you to go through that and not be able to talk about it… must have been so hard." Elira just watched him as he continued. "I know what it's like to lose someone suddenly, without warning. But I still have people around me who I care for, and who care for me." He turned to face her directly. "I can't even begin to come close to understanding just how hard it was for you. But one thing I do know- one thing I want you to know- is that you're not alone. You don't have to take everything upon yourself. I'll always be there for you."

A small breath escaped Elira, her eyes shining brightly in the light from the fire. For the first time since they had seen the sorcerer a genuine smile graced her face. "Thank you. That means a lot."

And without warning, they both found themselves grinning widely, safe in the knowledge of this link between them- this bond which would never break. That one confession of Elira's seemed to have broken down a barrier neither of them had realised had been there, and they revelled in their newfound sense of closeness. Several peaceful minutes passed, each of them glancing between the flames and the person sat beside them. Eventually, through unspoken consent, they each moved to put out the fire.

As they reached the door, Elira turned to Merlin once again, mimicking their parting words from that afternoon.

"I'll see you soon?"

He grinned. "Of course. Can't get rid of me."

They laughed as one, but it quickly faded when they found themselves searching each others face, eyes darting from feature to feature. Both gazes eventually landed on the other person's lips, before flickering up once again to the eyes. The next thing they knew, they were leaning towards each other.

The kiss this time was longer. Just a few seconds, but to them it felt like a lifetime. As they drew back, the reality of what had just happened hit them, and both felt a surge of heat rising to their cheeks. All Merlin could manage was to stand in the same spot, dumbstruck. Elira quickly backed away to the door, fumbling with the handle behind her back. After a few seconds it burst open.

"Um…anyway…" she breathed, "I…um… better be going. It's late." And with one final, embarrassed smile, she hurried out of the room.

Merlin stayed put for about a minute before he managed to force himself into action. He drifted back to Gaius' chambers, past the sleeping physician, and sunk down onto his bed. Needless to say, there was only one thing he dreamt of that night. Elira.

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**Review? They're always welcome :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Apologies. I wanted to get this chapter up a couple of hours ago, but I've just spent the entire day (well... about seven hours of it) doing some coursework. I don't care how useful a technique it may be-_ nmr sucks! Big time!_**

**However, I now get to update, and it's a long one too :) Enjoy :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Thirteen**

The following days passed in a whirl of activity for Merlin. On the first day Arthur had forced him out on a brief hunt. The Prince had, of course, found it utterly hilarious when his manservant managed to trip and land face-first in a small bog. The second he spent in the castle, watching the Knights' training (especially Alan), doing laundry, scrubbing the Prince's chambers and failing spectacularly to avoid an ever-persistent Rosalind . Not to mention that the young warlock also had to persist in his regular self-appointed task of keeping an eye out for any movements on Morgana's side of things. If she or her sister made a move now, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to deal with it smoothly. Fortunately for him, it didn't seem like the two had anything planned.

The only brief moments of respite he had during this time came during the few short minutes he spent with Elira each time they encountered each other. At first, both were too embarrassed to do much more than mumble a few words, bright-faced. But they were soon back to their usual cheerful conversations.

To Merlin, it seemed like every new thing he learnt about Elira just made him love her more. And while the pain of his newfound knowledge never quite faded, it was considerably dimmed by his determination to gradually open her eyes to the true nature of magic.

By the time the third day came, it took him a considerable amount of effort to drag himself out of bed and down to the kitchens. He couldn't wait until the situation with Alan and his sister had been resolved. At least with them taken care of he might be able to find a bit of time to himself to relax.

Stumbling through the door to the Prince's chambers, he was quickly greeted by an already-dressed Arthur.

"You're late. Again."

"I'd have thought you'd be used to it by now."

"Oh I am. Unfortunately. However, I would greatly appreciate it if you- just for once- managed to do a half-decent job. Now, are you just going to stand there, or are you actually going to bring that food over?"

"Oops." He'd completely forgotten that he was holding the breakfast tray. He hurried across the room, only to trip over his own feet as he neared the table. Luckily, he was close enough that the tray landed safely, and he was able to prop himself up without any serious injury.

"Honestly Merlin," started Arthur, dragging the food closer to himself, "I am once again amazed at the thought of how you have _ever _managed to survive this long. One of these days, you're going to find your clumsiness kicking in at the worst possible time. I just hope you don't drag me down with you."

Merlin rolled his eyes. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Hmm…" Arthur eyed the young man's innocent expression, then turned to make a start on his food. "Go and fetch my Armour will you. I'll be training with the Knights again today."

"Again? Why on earth do find it so fun to beat each-other of a pulp?"

"Because it's necessary. I wouldn't expect _you_ to understand Merlin. After all, it's highly unlikely that you will ever be the one to defend Camelot- thanks to us Knights. Heaven help us if you do. Now hurry up and fetch me my Armour."

Merlin did just that, but not without a quick mumbling groan. One day, he reasoned, one day Arthur would know about everything he had done and accept magic for what it was. Until then, he just had to satisfy himself with imagining look on the man's face when that time came.

* * *

The sounds of clashing blades echoed through the air as Rosalind stood at the side of the training grounds, watching as her pathetic excuse for a brother was quickly forced backwards across the field by that moron Arthur. She almost let her worried expression slip from her face as he tumbled to the ground, Arthur's sword aimed at his chest. The boy really was one of the biggest sources of irritation in her otherwise relatively enjoyable life. Why her father insisted that she not inflict more than minor pain upon him she would never know. The only positive side to the deal was that she was allowed to do whatever she liked to the servants of the household in his stead. A smirk flickered across her face as she remembered the last one she had punished. The fool had given her a brown horse in place of her customary black. He had spent three weeks recovering. The expression of fear on his face when he returned had been thrillingly sublime to witness.

Spying the Prince's annoying pest of a manservant stumbling along with an armful of weapons, she hurried to make her way over to him.

"Would you like some help with that?"

He looked at her, a small hint of distaste just visible at the corner of his mouth before resuming a more polite expression. "Oh no my lady, I wouldn't dream of inconveniencing you in any way." She actually had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from lashing out when he made to continue on his way.

"Oh it's no bother at all. I was actually growing a little disinterested in the fighting, and I saw you struggling." She tutted. "I know Arthur is fantastic in all other respects, but I fear he does treat you a little too harshly." Best to get him this idiot believing she meant well. It was all for the sake of the plan after all.

Still with a smile plastered onto her face, she lifted the top few weapons from his pile. There was no way he could object now, so the pair started on towards the weapons rack together.

Once Rosalind was sure that all eyes, including those of the Prince, were fixed on the outrageous sight of a noble assisting a mere servant, she immediately set her plan into action. A flash of gold glimmered in her eyes, and Merlin tumbled to the floor looking, for all intents and purposes, as though he had simply slipped on a wet patch. With perfect timing, she 'tripped' over one of his dropped weapons, landing on the ground with a clatter of metal.

* * *

Merlin felt the tug of magic to his side, but before he had time to react he found himself face-down on the ground. A moment later, and Rosalind had fallen over the chain of a dropped mace. There was a whispered word when she reached the ground. He couldn't be sure, but it sounded like _dolg_- the word for a cut or gash in the ancient language.

A quick scan of the area revealed that several of the Knights were rushing towards the fallen noble, led by Arthur, with Alan quick on his heels.

Clambering to his feet, Merlin winced as he realised that he seemed to have twisted his ankle rather badly. But that wasn't important- he had to keep up appearances. He could work out why she had done this later.

He limped over to Rosalind just as she was clambering into a kneeling position. "Are you alright?"

The sorceress had a nasty gash across her forehead, but she shot Merlin a seemingly grateful look nonetheless. "I'm fine."

As Arthur reached them, he hurried to offer Rosalind his arm- as the Prince, it was what was expected of him to be courteous to any guest in the castle. No matter how annoying they were. As he helped her to her feet, the young Prince glared at Merlin.

"Well done Merlin. Another fantastic display of ineptitude." He turned to face the woman at his side. "I apologize for my manservant. I will ensure that he is properly punished for his clumsiness."

"Oh don't worry. It wasn't Merlin's fault- the ground was wet. He needs no punishment."

Alan, who had arrived seconds after Arthur, was the next to speak. "Perhaps you should go and see the Court Physician about that wound Rosalind- it looks bad."

"Thank you Alan. I think I will." She turned to Arthur, an expectant smile upon her face. The Prince had to keep himself from groaning. As much as he disliked the girl, duty came first.

"I shall guide you. After all, it was my servant who caused your injury. It is my responsibility to ensure your wellbeing."

"I greatly appreciate it."

Alan and Merlin spoke at the same time. "I'll come too."

The young warlock glanced towards the Knight as the group left the training grounds, suspicions whirling through his mind. Rosalind didn't seem the type to trip a servant in plain view on a whim, and she wouldn't have then fallen over herself if she had. It was all just too convenient. And then there was that spell- the injury could have been deliberate. Could it be possible that the siblings had planned this? And if so, for what reason?

* * *

As they climbed one of the sets of stairs which led to Gaius' chambers, Merlin's ankle was causing him a lot of discomfort. It wasn't easy for him to keep up with the rest of the group. As he hobbled along behind the others, he saw Rosalind turn to look at him, a worried expression on her face.

"Alan. Merlin seems to have injured himself also. Why don't Arthur and I go ahead. You can stay behind and help him."

Arthur seemed about to protest, to suggest that Alan be the one to help his sister, but the young Knight answered first. "Of course." An unspoken _be as quick as you can_ passed from master to servant, and Arthur continued to lead Rosalind up the stairs.

Merlin, eager to ensure that Rosalind was not alone with Arthur for long, hurried to follow.

Only to find his way blocked by Alan.

A few seconds passed before the Knight spoke, a chilling edge to his voice. "Lets leave the two alone shall we? I know Rosalind has been most eager to spend some time together with his Highness."

Merlin started to panic. This was it- it had to be. They were going to try again. And with his injured ankle, there was no way he'd be able to catch up to the pair in time. The only thing he could do was to try and get past Alan- get there as fast as he could.

"Let me through." He spoke with authority, but the young Knight was unfazed. He simply scoffed at the servant boy.

"Oh I don't think so."

"You don't have to do this."

"That's where you're wrong." There was a slight hint of desperation in the man's eyes. "I do have to. I don't have a choice."

"There is always a choice."

"Not for me."

The young warlock tried a different tact, slowly shuffling forward to try and get past the figure in front of him. "What do you even hope to hope to accomplish by keeping me here? I'm just a servant. And it doesn't seem like I could get there in time to interfere anyway."

"You've proven far to much of a hassle already. It's too dangerous to let you hang around. You're clumsy enough- nobody will suspect anything. And if you survive, it's just your word against mine. Who do you think they'll believe?"

"What do you…?"

Before he could finish his question Alan lunged forward, giving Merlin a sharp shove in the chest.

Alan turned and ran up the stairs.

And Merlin fell down them.


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorry for leaving you all with such a mean cliffhanger- that mean ol' Alan! How dare he? Tch. I've decided I don't like him. I don't hate him anywhere near as much as I do his sister, but I definitely don't like him.**

**So, here's chapter 14. Enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Fourteen**

The next thing Merlin knew was darkness. Darkness, and pain. He focused through it, concentrating on a small feeling niggling at the corner of his mind, straining to understand what it was. It was something important, he just knew it. There was… there was something… he was supposed to be doing…

Now if only he could remember what…

A small voice interrupted his thoughts.

"…lin! Merlin!" _Whose voice was that? _"Merlin! Please Merlin- please wake up." The voice- a girl's voice he realised- cracked. "Please Merlin. You need to wake up. Please. You can't be… You can't…" The voice faded, disintegrating into staggered sobs. He felt a shaking hand on his cheek. A touch he recognised.

Slamming his eyes open, he found himself staring into Elira's tear-streaked face.

"Elira?" _What was going on?_

Elira's eyes widened at his voice, her breath catching. She nodded, relief pouring out of her. "Oh thank God- I thought… I thought…"

Merlin tried to sit up. He needed to comfort her- to let her know that he was alright. He couldn't be responsible for making her cry. But as soon as he tried, a sharp pain shot through his head, darkening his vision and forcing him to lay back once again. "What…?" Gingerly, he lifted a hand to the origin of the pain at the back of his head. When he drew his hand away again, it was all he could do to stare at it in shock. Blood. His whole hand was covered in blood.

And now that he looked, so were Elira's, as was the cloth she clutched in her trembling grip. She saw him looking.

"I didn't know what to do. I saw you fall. You hit your head, and you were bleeding so much. I yelled, but I don't think anyone heard. So I tried to stop it… But I…" Her words died once again, more tears welling up in her eyes. "I thought I'd lost you."

He lifted his hand to her face, attempting to wipe away her tears, but only succeeded in smearing blood across her needed to comfort her. "Hey now, come on. I told you you'd never be able to get rid of me that easily."

A quick laugh of relief burst from her lips. "I know you did."

"Besides, I could never leave you behind all alone. And just think- if I died, who on earth would be willing to put up with Arthur's moani-" He cut off, realisation flushing through him. "Arthur!" He forced himself to sit up, ignoring Elira's protests, ignoring the pain. He had to find Arthur quickly- he was in danger.

He clambered shakily to his feet, resting his weight against the stone wall, and staggered towards the stairs.

Elira blocked his path. Her face was pale. "Merlin- where do you think you're going? You can't move yet. Stay here- I'll go up instead. I'll go and get Gaius."

He tried to shake his head, stopping when it only made the pain worse. "No. I have to go… Arthur…"

"What about Arthur?"

"Arthur's in danger…"

Her worried expression grew more pronounced. "What do you mean?"

He pushed past her, setting his foot upon the first stair. "I have to… I have to help Arthur."

"What could you do in this state?"

"He needs me…"

"Then I'll come with you- I'm not letting you move around by yourself." She made to put his arm around her shoulders, offering him support, but he quickly shrugged her away. Fear for her safety flooded through him.

"No! No- you can't come. It's too dangerous!"

"Merlin!"

"I can't let anything happen to you." He stared at her for a few seconds, desperately searching for the words that would make her understand that she had to stay behind. "I can't let anything happen to you. I love you."

Leaving Elira standing there, looking like she wasn't sure whether to be happy or frustrated, joyful or panicked, laughing or crying, he made his way falteringly up the stairs. Ignoring the pain in his head, in his ankle, and in what felt like every other part of his body, he waited until he was out of her sight and earshot. Then he sped up, almost running up the stairs, paying absolutely no heed to the blackness at the edge of his vision. _Arthur…_

_

* * *

_

Arthur and Rosalind reached the top of the flight of stairs after just a minute, and hurried on towards Gaius' chambers. They were about halfway along the next corridor when Rosalind stopped, scanning her eyes over their surroundings. Letting go of her arm, he turned to her, confused.

"Are you alright? Did you need to rest or something?"

"Oh no. I'm absolutely fine."

_Her voice has changed._ That was the first thought to flick through the young Prince's head. He had grown so accustomed to her simpering tones, that when she suddenly spoke in such a self-assured manner he couldn't help but find it distinctly odd. "Are you sure?"

A miniscule smirk played at her lips. "Certain."

Arthur took a small step back, his instincts kicking in suddenly. "Then why have you stopped?"

"Because this is the perfect place of course."

"For what?"

Rosalind heaved a disdainful sigh, a look of disgust flickering in her eyes. "Do you have _any_ idea how long I have waited to get you on your own? It was most irritating. I absolutely _abhor_ being made to wait. You should count yourself honoured that I thought you worth it."

Arthur couldn't help but blink at this sudden change of attitude. Was she really like this? Why on earth would she put on such an act usually?

"Worth what?"

"Oh good grief- are you absolutely incapable doing anything but standing there like an idiot with your mouth wide open? It's hardly becoming for the Prince of a powerful kingdom. No wonder it was so easy to trick you."

"Trick me how?"

Rosalind's eyes shifted to a point just above Arthur's right shoulder, a victorious smile spanning her features. He knew that look. How many times had he seen it in the past? He spun around, drawing his sword as he did so, just managing to block the vicious swing aimed at where his neck had been just moments ago. It took all his strength to keep the sword at bay, his eyes widening in shock as he saw his attacker.

"Alan?"

The young Knight's eyes flickered towards his sister, pleading. She sighed. "Oh very well then. As you seem to be incapable of handling this yourself." Her gaze flicked back to Arthur, Alan moving out of the way just in time as she voiced her spell. "_Astrice!_"

Arthur gasped in surprise as her eyes flashed gold, raising his arms just in time to protect himself before he flew backwards, slamming into the doors behind him. They flew open, and he tumbled to the ground, gasping in pain as he hit the floor, quickly jumping to his feet. Rosalind just laughed.

"Oh, this is fun. Maybe I'll play with you a while longer before I let Alan finish you off. _Astrice!_" The invisible force sent him flying once again, smashing into a cabinet at the other side of the room when he landed. He struggled to stand once again, determined to fight back with honour.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"You have magic. You must want revenge on my father."

Rosalind paused for a second. "Well yes, I suppose that's partly true. But as he's going to die soon anyway it can't really be classed as a very exciting form of revenge. I suppose my main reason is for the enjoyment."

Arthur knew at once that it was a lost cause even trying to reason with this girl. He had never before met anyone who appeared quite as vindictive as she did. Instead, he turned his questions to her brother.

"Alan. You swore an oath to serve Camelot- you would break the Knights Code so easily?"

"I never intended to keep it in the first place."

Ah. So that was it. This had been their plan all along. His thoughts flicked back to what Merlin had told him shortly after Alan had become a Knight, and it all fell into place. Merlin had known. He must have found out somehow. A quick burst of anger rose inside him, but it was rapidly quashed when he realised that Merlin could never have told him- if a servant accused a Knight of such treason he would be severely punished. His friend had tried to warn him, in the only way he could.

And then he noticed something- Merlin wasn't there. He had been left behind with Alan. A knot of fear formed in the pit of his stomach. "Where's Merlin?"

Rosalind's face grew gleeful. "Oh this is _rich_. You're about to be killed, and you're questioning us about the wellbeing of your precious _servant boy!_ Then Alan shall put your mind at ease." She faced her brother. "Tell him."

Alan was almost expressionless as he answered the Prince's question. "He's dead."

Arthur's fear quickly turned to despair, and then to anger. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this angry. He stormed forward, ignoring his pain. "How dare you?"

He lunged forward, swinging his sword as hard as he could towards Alan, determined to kill him there and then. How _dare_ they kill an innocent servant? How _dare_ they kill the first true friend he had ever had? _How dare they kill Merlin?_

But before he was even half way towards them, another word from Rosalind sent him flying back across the room. His sword dropped from his grasp. The siblings took a step towards him, Rosalind grinning malevolently, Alan with a steel in his eyes.

"_Bebinde!_" Invisible bonds tightened around Arthur. Unable to move, he simply glared up at the two siblings as they advanced on him, Alan raising his sword to strike the final blow.

Suddenly, a shout burst from the doorway.

"Stop!"

Three sets of eyes swivelled towards the source of the sound. Three sets of lips spoke the same word- Rosalind hissing it, Alan in angry confusion, Arthur in pure relief.

"Merlin!"

* * *

**Yay! Merlin's okay (sort of...)**


	15. Chapter 15

**For lack of a better thing to say, here's the first thing to spring to mind- "SEAWEED!"**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Fifteen**

"Merlin!"

Arthur felt the relief rush through his body. _Merlin was alive_. It was a few seconds before he realised that the distraction the young man had caused meant that Rosalind's focus was shifted, her spell falling to pieces. He could move!

Trying not to draw any attention to himself, his began to slowly shift his hand over to the hilt of his sword, listening intently to the ensuing conversation for any chance to attack.

* * *

Turning a corner a short way from the top of the stairs, Merlin heard the sound of raised voices. He hurried towards the source of the commotion, but just before he reached the open doorway they seemed to be coming from, he heard a shout from Rosalind.

"_Bebinde!_"

Rushing forwards, he practically slammed into the doorframe, just managing to keep himself upright. Arthur was on the floor, struggling to move. Merlin saw Alan's sword lifted into the air, ready to be brought down towards the helpless Prince. Without thinking, he found himself yelling out.

"Stop!"

Obviously startled at the interruption, all three of the room's occupants turned their gazes towards him, exclaiming as one. "Merlin!"

There was a brief pause before Rosalind's face snapped towards her brother.

"I thought you said he was dead!"

"He… I…"

She glared at Merlin. "How are you alive?"

He gave a weak laugh in response. "It'll take more than a flight of stairs to kill me- I'm a lot more resilient than I look." He tried not to let his eyes settle on Arthur as he talked. The blond man was shifting slightly, Rosalind's spell obviously broken, his grip finding the hilt of a discarded sword. Merlin allowed his voice to become slightly more threatening, fixing the siblings with an icy gaze. "Maybe you should have actually made sure that I was dealt with before running off. Because I'm never going to let you do this."

Rosalind just snorted disbelievingly. "What on earth could a servant like you do?"

"A lot more than you think. I've already told a guard that someone attacked Arthur and I, and that Arthur had gone after them." Okay, so it wasn't really the truth, but they weren't to know that. "He's already gone to warn the King- there'll be guards all over the place soon. They'll find this room eventually. You've got no chance."

The sorceress' anger instantly intensified, aiming itself once again at her brother. "This is all your fault. I knew I should've just done it myself."

"Rosalind. Please…"

With a flash of gold, a cut appeared across the young Knight's face, Merlin and Arthur staring in shock. _She had just attacked him?_

"There's no time. If you don't want worse- if you want a chance to redeem yourself- then I suggest you go to Uther now. Use the confusion as a distraction. Kill him. I'll handle things here."

Alan nodded, rushing out of the room, straight past the injured manservant. Arthur lunged after him, Rosalind noticing the movement at the same time as Merlin did. She turned towards the Prince, raising one arm.

"No!" Merlin acted out of pure instinct, diving over to the sorceress and wrestling her to the floor. Arthur hovered in the doorway, torn over what to do.

"Merlin!"

From where he was, Merlin couldn't really spare the effort to turn his head towards his friend, but he spoke nonetheless. "Just go- I'll deal with her. You need to stop Alan."

"But she has magic- you don't stand a chance."

"Arthur!"

"But…"

"Just go!"

With one last worried glance at his manservant, Arthur nodded. "I'll be back soon." He turned, and raced from the room.

Moments later, a quick word forced Merlin's attention back to the girl he had pinned face-down to the floor.

"_Astrice!_"

Unable to react in time, he felt himself lifted in the air, only just managing to keep his head from slamming against the floor as he landed again. His vision blurred slightly as Rosalind stood, towering over him.

"How dare you? A mere servant boy attempting to stop _me_? A mere servant boy _daring_ to knock _me_ down? How dare you?" Her eyes flickered gold repeatedly- a sure sign that her anger was making her lose control of her powers. "Do you have _any _idea what I am capable of?"

Merlin snorted, forcing himself not to give in to the pain he felt. "Not much by the looks of it."

The girl's face contorted in fury, eyes blazing gold as she lifted her arm towards him. But Merlin got there first. With a quick incantation as he began to stand, he threw her backwards across the room. Her eyes widened in shock as she crashed into a cupboard, before a malicious smile appeared on her face.

"Well well, so the servant boy has a little magic. I wouldn't go using it if I were you- you wouldn't want those guards you mentioned to burst in and see, would you?"

Merlin couldn't resist a small smirk. "I lied- I didn't tell anyone. I didn't need to- I can deal with you by myself."

It was almost visible- the moment when Rosalind snapped. "In that case, let's see how you handle _this_." She drew her hand back, snapping it forward with the words "_Byre læl!_" Merlin hissed in pain, gripping his chest as a blast of wind whipped across the room, slicing effortlessly through his skin.

As her arm drew back once again, he raised his free arm up in front of him, whispering weakly. "_A__mundae_." As the next invisible whip neared him, it reflected off of his protective shield, instead shattering a nearby wooden chest. Rosalind growled in annoyance, sending blast after blast towards Merlin. In his injured state, the young warlock couldn't do much more than simply keep the strikes from connecting, watching for an opening in the girl's attacks.

As the twelfth strike bounced back once again from Merlin's spell, Rosalind stamped her foot in frustration. "How are you doing that? You're practically _dead_- how are you able to deflect my attacks?" No-one had ever fought back against the spoilt sorceress before. And now a mere _servant_ was standing there blocking her spells like it was nothing!

"I did say that you weren't capable of much. You know as well as I do how little control you have over your powers- you'll never be able to defeat me like this."

Another futile attack glanced off of the invisible shield, instead slicing through a wall hanging. "And how would _you_ know? You're just a servant! You don't know anything!"

"I know more than enough to beat you."

"And how would you be so sure?"

Merlin straightened up, wincing as he strained his numerous wounds. "I have fought for three years to defend Arthur and the rest of Camelot. I have faced creatures you could never dream of. I will _not_ allow everything I have worked for be destroyed now- especially by the likes of you!"

"You won't have a choice! _F__orslægen!_" The table by the door behind Merlin sped forwards, slamming into him from behind and forcing him to his knees. Numerous items clattered to the floor- bowls, a dagger, a hand mirror, jewellery, and much more. Before the young servant could regain his breath, Rosalind stormed towards him, raising her hand for what she believed would be the final time. Her mouth began to shape the words of a spell, but a newfound ringing in Merlin's ears prevented him from hearing what she was saying. In desperation, his blurred vision focused dimly on the dagger which now lay before him.

Without even the strength left to speak, Merlin relied purely on his base instincts. His eyes flashed gold, the dagger lifting from the floor and streaming across the room- straight into Rosalind's chest.

Rosalind's face contorted in pain. She took one last faltering step, before tumbling to the ground.

Merlin stayed in the same position for several seconds, before a thought crossed his mind. _Arthur!_ He staggered to his feet, swaying slightly before he turned to leave the room.

He froze.

In the doorway, an expression of horrified shock on her face, was Elira. A single tear trickled down her face before she turned on the spot, racing from the room. To Merlin, it suddenly felt as though he had lost the ability to breath. He tried to go after her- tried to follow, but his body wouldn't allow it, and he collapsed to the floor, gasping in agony.

And then… there was only darkness…

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**...**


	16. Chapter 16

**Phew- only a couple more chapters after this. Updates might be a bit slower over the next couple of days though- it's the last week of term, so I've got a bunch of Christmas meals, an exam and a pantomime to see. You have been warned. Aside from that, please enjoy the chapter :)**

**Diclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Sixteen**

"…lin! Merlin!"

Merlin frowned. Someone was lightly slapping his cheek. Had he fallen asleep? Was it time to get up? He blinked slightly. "M'up"

Opening his eyes fully, he was greeted by the sight of Arthur kneeling over him, the Prince's worried expression quickly turning to one of relief.

He struggled to speak, his words slurring. "Wha' hap'n'd?"

Arthur stood, staring around the room. Merlin's eyes followed his friend's gaze, taking in the wreckage. After a few seconds, it all came back to him- Alan, Arthur, his own fight with Rosalind. Elira…

"Apparently," said a bemused Arthur, gesturing to the dead girl lying on the floor, "you just managed to take down a sorceress."

Merlin grinned weakly. "Sorry about the mess," he laughed. He could focus on Elira later. For now, he needed to sort things out here. "Are you alright?"

Arthur just stared down at him. "I'm fine. Which, by the way, is more than I can say for you. Looks like you had a tough time here."

"Nah- nothing I couldn't handle." He tried to sit up, but the searing pain which shot through his body promptly forced him back again. "You couldn't give me a hand here, could you?" He lifted one shaky arm into the air, which Arthur then hooked around his own shoulders, securing Merlin's weight before slowly helping the injured manservant to his feet.

"Come on, we better get you to Gaius."

The two made their way haltingly out of the room and along the corridor, towards yet another long flight of stairs. The next floor was always a lot busier, and as they reached the top they soon attracted the attention of several bustling servants, one of whom rushed over to the pair, joining them as they walked. The man's anxious gaze took in Merlin's injuries, but protocol dictated that his first concern should be for the crowned Prince.

"Are you alright sire? What happened?"

"We were attacked. I'm not injured, but Merlin was badly wounded. I'm taking him to Gaius- you go and tell a Guard and get some people together to see to the mess downstairs. And send word to my father- I'll give him more details later.

"Yes sire," the servant nodded, then quickly scurried off, followed by half-a-dozen others. Arthur and Merlin were soon alone in the corridor. As they walked, Arthur tried to keep up a conversation. He could see that Merlin was struggling, and he had often found himself that it helped to have a distraction from the pain in such situations.

"You really are a complete idiot you know."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, why on earth would you choose to take on a sorceress by yourself? Especially when there would be people on the way?" He wasn't expecting the brief laugh that erupted from his servant's lips.

"There wasn't anyone on the way."

"But you said…"

"I lied."

Arthur just frowned. He had thought it odd that there had not already been a swarm of people in the room by the time Merlin had come round, but he had never expected that Merlin would have told such a bare-faced lie. He made a mental note to yell at the young man about it later. For now though, he settled for a simple "that was reckless."

Merlin snorted. "Yeah, but it worked didn't it? The looks on their faces were priceless."

They were only a few paces from the door to Gaius' chambers by this point, and the two men fell silent. Both could easily imagine the old Physician's reaction, and neither was really eager to sit through a lecture, especially when the incident hadn't exactly been their fault.

Gaius was mixing up some sort of evil-smelling concoction when the boys entered. He looked up at the noise from the door, most likely expecting the servant of some Lord or Lady come to deliver a message. The look on his face when he saw Merlin's condition was almost indescribable.

"_What happened?_"

Seeing that Merlin's eyes were once again growing unfocused, Arthur took it upon himself to answer. "We were attacked by Alan and his sister. Merlin took down Rosalind, but… well…" His voice died. The outcome was fairly obvious- the fact that his friend had been injured hardly needed explaining. To his surprise, Gaius didn't even lift an eyebrow at the mention of the Knight's treason. Evidently, Merlin was not the only one who had known about the siblings' plot.

Gaius cast an appraising eye over his ward, a frown developing before he gestured to the bed. "Sit him down over there and take off his shirt. I'll need clear access to that wound."

Arthur quickly did as told, leaving the physician to bustle about the room, collecting various jars, a cloth, a bowl of water and some bandages. He stepped back towards the door. "I need to go and inform my father of what has happened. I'll return soon." Gaius just nodded, paying no heed to the Prince as he began a closer examination of Merlin's chest.

With one last look at his friend, Arthur turned and left the room.

* * *

It was several hours before he managed to return. He had caught up to his father while the older man was standing at the scene of Arthur's final fight with Alan, staring down at the body of the dead Knight with a look of insurmountable anger on his face. The King had been absolutely furious to discover what had occurred, and upon noticing his son had instantly demanded a full description of the events. When he learnt of Rosalind's sorcery, he had stormed to the room in which the girl lay, Arthur following behind. The expression on Uther's face when he had seen the body had been of utter disgust, and he had started up on yet another rant on the evils of magic.

Finally, after sitting through two hours of plans to tighten security, crack down harder upon sorcery and deal with the house of Haskel's treason, Arthur had managed to escape his father and make his weary way back to the Physician's chambers.

Merlin was now sitting at the table in the centre of the room, bandages secured around his head and chest. Arthur couldn't be sure, but there also seemed to be a bulge around his ankle, hidden beneath a trouser leg.

"So, you're alright then?"

Merlin looked up, smiling. "As well as I could be. But Gaius said I might have to take the next few days off." He shrugged, letting out a sigh of mock disappointment. "And I was so looking forward to our next mace session."

"Well, don't worry about it." Merlin stared at him, suspicious of his friend's jocular tone. "We'll just have to work extra hard once you've recovered," stated Arthur, sending the younger man a cheerful grin.

Merlin groaned. "Oh joy," came the sarcastic response, and the two men laughed as one.

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It was, in fact, three days before Gaius judged his ward's condition good enough to allow him to work without the danger of straining his healing wounds. As it was, he still managed to escape mace practice, having had strict instructions to not undertake any strenuous activity for at least another week.

As much of a prat as Arthur could be, Merlin secretly enjoyed being back at work. He was constantly being greeted by other servants, and even a few Knights, congratulating him over his latest accomplishment regarding Rosalind. The praise meant very little to him though- he simply used the hustle and bustle of daily castle life as a distraction from the other, darker, thoughts which refused to leave his mind. He hadn't seen Elira since she had run from him the other day, and anyone he asked said that she had taken time off of work. He desperately wanted to see her, to speak to her, to explain, but he knew that he couldn't just turn up at her house. She needed time to sort out her emotions. And, as much as he wanted to, he couldn't interfere.

And so, it was a great shock to him when, upon returning to his room to polish the armour he had placed there earlier that day, he found Elira standing in the middle of the Physician's chambers. Gaius was out on his rounds, as he always was at this time, so it was obvious who the she had come to see.

Merlin blinked, horrified. He couldn't believe how…ill… she looked. Her face was even more pale than usual, and there were dark shadows under her bloodshot eyes. In short, it looked as though she hadn't slept at all in the time they hadn't seen each other. He closed the door gently behind him.

As he stepped forward, Elira finally spoke, her voice shaking as though she was on the verge of tears.

"We need to talk."


	17. Chapter 17

**Phew. _Man_ this chapter was hard to write! I only hope I got it right.**

**Okay, today's pretty busy, do I'm putting this up earlier than I planned (as I've got an exam to go to very soon) Also, I am sad to announce that, as of today, I am no longer a teenager... So to mourn the end of an era, me and a couple of friends are going to see a Pantomime :D While that'll be fun, what better way to celebrate the dawning of a new age then to put up another chapter? So here it goes.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Seventeen**

"We need to talk." Elira's eyes flickered quickly around the room before darting back to Merlin's face. "Somewhere private."

Merlin gulped, taking a steadying breath. He had known this would come. Had even thought he was prepared. How wrong he had been. Without a word, he gestured for Elira to follow him, leading the way into his bedroom. Once there, he motioned for her to take a seat and turned towards the door, shutting it firmly.

"_C__ægge._" Ignoring the barely-concealed gasp from behind him, he quickly searched his mind for the right words. "_Ic i líefe ænig wordcwide gesegen in þes rýmet æt béo níwe be þára útanweard._"

Steeling himself, he turned to face Elira, a failed attempt at one of his usual carefree grins flickering across his features. "There. Now no-one outside of this room should be able to hear us- unless we open the door. Gaius rarely comes in when I'm not here, so it should be safe to assume we won't be disturbed." He could barely even look at Elira, let alone meet her gaze. The only thing in his mind was a crushing fear that she wouldn't accept his magic- wouldn't accept him.

He wasn't sure he'd be able to cope with that. Not from her.

There was silence for several minutes, neither of them even moving. It felt so… _wrong_ somehow, to be this close to each-other and yet not be able to talk freely. And yet neither felt it possible to break the silence, instead allowing their thoughts to collect and their beating hearts to calm, even if it was only marginally.

In the end, as so often before, it was Elira who spoke first.

"How long?" The rest of the question didn't really need to be asked. After all, it was obvious to both of them what this conversation was about. But she asked it nonetheless. "How long… have you been learning…?"

"Since I came to Camelot."

"How could y-"

Merlin lifted a hand, cutting her off. He needed to make this clear. "But I've used magic all my life."

Elira frowned slightly, raising her face towards his in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Merlin walked over to the bed, sitting down before answering, his eyes fixed firmly on the floor. "Magic… is not something I chose, Elira. It's something that chose me. I've been able to use it since the day I was born. But I wasn't able to control it properly, not at first, not until I came to Camelot and started to learn about my gift."

"How can you call it a _gift_? Surely to have such a _thing_ thrust upon you since birth is more like a curse?"

He sighed. "I used to think so. Growing up, I was just so… different than everyone else. It was hard." He turned, staring into her eyes, willing her to understand what he was trying to say. "But it's not a curse. Magic can be an amazing gift Elira. It has helped me in so many ways. Given me the strength to protect those I care about more times than I can remember."

"But how can such an evil craft be used to protect? I don't understand. All I have ever seen of magic is destruction and death. How can such a thing be used for good?" She sounded almost desperate, and Merlin could understand why. After what she had been through, it was never going to be an easy thing for her to be able to see the true nature of magic. How could he make her see it?

After a few moments of deep deliberation, an answer came to him.

"A few years ago now, my village came under attack." He could see Elira's confusion over the sudden change in topic, but she didn't say anything. She simply waited for him to continue. She was always willing to listen- it was one of her best traits.

"There was a group of raiders, led by a man named Kanan. My mother came to Camelot and told the King about what was happening, but Ealdor isn't part of his kingdom, so he couldn't help. I couldn't just let her go back alone, so I went with her." He paused, a smile dancing briefly across his lips as he remembered what had happened next. "Arthur, Gwen and Morgana came too, and thanks to their help the village came together and managed to drive Kanan and his men away. We fought, we killed, and some of us…were killed in return."

He paused, a tear coming to his eye as he recalled Will's final moments. "That day, we lost a lot, but we battled to keep what was most precious to each of us safe.

"Magic can be used for many purposes, just like the weapons we used then. It can be used to harm, or it can be used to protect. Magic itself is not evil- it is not _magic_ that corrupts people, but rather _people_ that corrupt magic. It's always been the way."

Silence fell once again as Elira considered Merlin's words, turning them over in her mind. And he could see- see her trying her absolute hardest to understand what she'd been told, and to accept it. Finally, after several minutes of consideration, she turned to him again.

"I think… that I can understand, at least a little. And I _have_ heard in the past that magic can be used to heal as well as to hurt. But I just can't shake the images from that day out of my head. If magic didn't exist- if people depended on purely natural methods, then so many lives would never have even needed to be saved." She shook her head. "When I think about how many lives must have been destroyed by magic, I just can't see that any of the good you mentioned can possibly make up for the bad."

"So…" His voice broke as Merlin tried to speak. "So… you don't… think you can accept it?"

A single tear flowed down Elira's cheek as she gave her reply. "I can't."

"You can't accept me?"

Her head jolted upright, a look of horror in her eyes. "I never said that!"

"But you-"

"No! I said I don't think I can accept _magic_ Merlin- I never said I couldn't accept _you_."

"I don't understand- how can…"

"You said that you had learnt to control your powers? You can choose when to use them?"

"Yes. But I don't see-"

"Then that's it!" Elira's expression had grown wilder somehow, more desperate, almost pleading. "Don't you see? That's exactly it! You've broken free of the curse Merlin- it doesn't rule you anymore- you don't _have_ to be different to everyone else- you can _choose_. You could stop using magic. You could…"

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

"I can't just _stop_ using magic Elira- It's a part of me. A _crucial_ part. It always has been, and always will be. I could no more stop using magic then you could change the colour of your eyes. I could no more stop using magic then I could stop eating or breathing."

"So you won't…?"

"I _can't_."

And yet again, silence reigned. Except this silence was unlike any the pair had experienced between them before- it was awkward, and heavy. Both knew their opinions. And both were beginning to see the almost inevitable outcome.

After what seemed like an age, Elira stood, walking over to the door. Still facing away from Merlin, she spoke.

"I'm leaving Camelot."

Merlin's breath caught in his throat. "You're leaving? Why? Where will you even go?"

"I'll find somewhere." She turned, tears streaming down her face, and shot him a sad smile. "To be honest, I had already decided this before I came. I just… I just wanted to see… to see if we could ever work."

"But you don't need to leave!"

She shook her head. "I do. I've tried Merlin- I sat there, and I listened, and I tried to understand. I really did. But I look at you- I think about your eyes glowing- I think about you and the fight you had with that girl- and all I see is the man from that day."

"I'm nothing lik-!"

"I know." The tears flowed faster, and Elira quickly crossed the room again, kneeling on the floor and placing one shaking hand on his cheek. "I know. You would never do something so evil. I know that Merlin. In my head, I can understand it all. But just the thought of magic makes my heart beat faster. It terrifies me Merlin. And I don't think I can live here knowing that there's magic being used so close to me. It would drive me mad."

Tears rose into Merlin's eyes now, and his breath hitched as he tried to answer. "Don't go."

It was a plea- his final, desperate plea. Begging her not to leave him- to change her mind. Anything. But it was futile. Without another word, and with barely another glance towards him, Elira rose and rushed from the room. He listened, numb, to the sound of her disappearing footsteps.

Then, when he could hear them no more, he collapsed back onto the bed…

Curled into a ball…

And wept.

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**Okay... So maybe not so good at cheering up... :'(**


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorry for the wait. Unfortunately, this is pretty much the end. I've decided to add one last chapter- well, more like an epilogue really- but this is almost farewell to this story :'(**

**You might have to wait a couple of days though- I'm heading home tomorrow, so it's likely that I won't get a chance to update *sighs*. Thanks so much for all the support so far- over 60 reviews. I'm so happy! Well, without further ado, here you go.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Chapter Eighteen**

Arthur marched through the castle corridors, feeling somewhat annoyed. After all, it was only Merlin's first day back on the job, and he was already slacking off. The Prince had been expecting his armour back a good hour ago, ready for tomorrow's training session. Not to mention the fact that he would be dining with his father later that evening, and needed to prepare.

Reaching the door to Gaius' chambers, he entered without knocking. The physician didn't appear to be there- most likely still out on his rounds, or in the marketplace. He strode over to Merlin's room, bursting in with full intent to have a good rant about his manservant's laziness.

He was _not_ expecting to see said manservant sitting on the bed, knees drawn up against his chest, staring blankly into space. He was also not expecting said manservant to have red-rimmed eyes, or tear marks running down his cheeks.

He stood for several moments, apparently unseen, before uttering an uncertain "Merlin?"

The young man's face jerked towards him and, having finally noticed the Prince's presence, Merlin hurried to wipe his face. He was up within seconds, wandering over to the pile of armour in the corner of the room and starting to polish it, speaking shakily all the time.

"Ah, Arthur. Sorry, I didn't realise how much time had passed- I'll get started on that armour right away, and then I'll sort out your bath, and then-"

"Merlin."

"-then I'll pick you out some clothes, and-"

"Merlin."

"-and I'll help you get ready for tonight so quickly that you'll forget I was even late at all, and then-"

"Merlin!"

Finally Merlin stopped what he was doing, putting down his cloth and staring up at Arthur. "What?"

Arthur made sure to close the door behind him before speaking. "What's wrong Merlin?"

There was a moments pause, in which Arthur could have sworn Merlin seemed like he wanted to tell him, but it passed in the blink of an eye, the dark-haired man shaking his head. "Nothing."

"Merl-"

"It's nothing alright! I'm fine!"

Arthur felt himself blink. Merlin- the bumbling idiot who never seemed to raise his voice, had practically yelled at him! That was proof- there was definitely _something_ wrong with his idiot of a manservant, and Arthur was determined to find out what it was. But how? He wasn't exactly the best in the world at dealing with emotion. He racked his brains, trying to think of a solution. For a second, he almost ended up spouting some random excuse and then leaving and to fetch Guinevere- she was much more capable in this sort of situation. But then another thought came to mind. The perfect way to wipe that dejected look from his friend's face.

"I can tell you're not fine Merlin. And, as I'm in a good mood, and as I can't really have you serving at tonight's dinner looking like you've been forced to drink an entire barrel of Gaius' hangover medicine, I'll strike you a deal."

The younger man just looked at him, a look of wary confusion appearing on his face. "What deal? This better not result in me ending up in the stocks or something- your deals always go badly for me."

Now that was a bit more like it- Merlin was beginning to look less depressed- more his usual self. Arthur decided to go for an affronted look. "Hey now, come on, name one time when you ended off badly because of something I did."

Merlin raised his eyebrows. "Alright then- how about the multiple times I ended up in the stocks because you were pining over that Sophia girl? Or all those narrow escapes from bandits? Or that time you almost got me eaten by Wilddeoren? Or-"

"Alright- I get it," he grinned. "I guess I do get you into a fair bit of trouble. But I've got something that may just make up for some of it."

Merlin definitely looked interested now. "Go on then- what's your big plan?"

"Why don't you take the rest of the day off?" The young Prince almost burst out laughing at the shocked expression on his servant's face. "I'm serious- I'm perfectly capable of getting changed by myself, and besides…" He paused, before finishing with a flourish. "It would mean you could go and see that Elira girl you're so keen on."

Merlin's expression immediately became tight. He turned away, and started scrubbing at the armour once again. Arthur froze, his smile fading. _Oh God no_ were the first words to flick through his head- apparently, he had just stumbled upon the reason for his friend's depressed mood.

"Merlin?"

"Mm?"

"Did something happen? With Elira?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Look- you can tell me. Whatever it is, I'm sure the two of you will be able to work it out."

There was a brief pause before Merlin stopped his furious polishing, his shoulders dropping. When he spoke again, it sounded like he was close to tears. "No we won't."

"What are you talking about? Of course you-"

"We can't."

"Why?"

"We just can't."

"Why?"

"Because she's leaving Camelot alright!" He sat back, the cloth dropping from his hand, his voice almost breaking. "She's leaving Camelot. And it's all my fault."

Arthur wasn't sure what to do- what would people normally do in this kind of situation? A quick punch on the arm or headlock would hardly suffice. After a moment's hesitation, he settled for a disbelieving snort. "That's ridiculous- how is it your fault if she decides to just pack up and leave?"

Merlin still didn't look at him. "It is my fault- I did something she could never forgive. Something I knew she hated. It was my own stupid fault for thinking I could ever get her to understand. I should've known I'd never be able to get her to see differently…" He clutched his head in his hands. "I should've known she'd never be able to accept it. I should've…" His voice trailed off into silence, drawing a sharp breath.

Neither man spoke for the next minute or so. Arthur spent the time in partial shock. To be honest, he found it unbelievable that _Merlin_ would have it in him to do something anyone would find even remotely unforgivable. The girl must have just taken whatever it was badly- there must have been a good reason for whatever Merlin had done which was so bad. He wasn't stupid enough to ask what this 'terrible thing' actually was- doing that would probably just hurt his friend more than help him. The problem, Arthur reasoned, was that he had no experience dealing with such situations. Granted, there had been issues as far as Guinevere was concerned, but there had never been a point at which one of them had willingly turned their back on the other- they had always tried their best, no matter what was thrown at them.

But this… this was different. He had no idea how to handle a situation where one half of a relationship had purposefully walked away from the other. He couldn't even fathom what it was that could have made Elira leave.

He sighed lightly, realising that there was no point in him trying to work out what had happened, and so all that was left was to deal with the aftermath as best he could.

"Merlin." He spoke gently, but made sure that his voice held authority nonetheless. "Look at me." Merlin obeyed, twisting on the spot and fixing his eyes on Arthur's. The Prince was just glad that the man wasn't actually crying at that moment in time. "Answer me one thing- at the time when you did whatever-it-was that made her so mad, did you see any other option open to you?"

There was a flicker of hesitation in his friend's eyes, then he, subconsciously it seemed, raised his hand to the position of the wound inflicted by Rosalind and slowly shook his head.

"If you were to go back to that moment, would make a different choice?"

The next head-shake came faster. "No."

"Would you regret the action if it weren't for Elira's reaction to it?"

"I…"

"Would you?"

"I… don't know. Maybe at that point I could have done things slightly differently, but…"

"But what?"

"…But I don't think I made the wrong decision." Merlin shook his head firmly. "No- I know I made the right decision. And I would never take it back. It's necessary. It's a part of me, and I can't change that."

Arthur blinked, slightly confused. Merlin sounded for all the world like he was talking about something he _was_ rather than something he had _done_, but the Prince let it pass. No doubt it made sense to Merlin- who was he to interfere in that respect?

"Well there you go. If it was necessary- if it had to be done- if you didn't have a choice, then you made the right decision. You can't go around blaming yourself because she can't handle it. You can be upset that she's gone, but don't you dare blame yourself."

Merlin just looked at him, giving one small nod. Then a small attempt at a grin appeared on the manservant's face. "You know what Arthur? If I didn't know better, I'd almost say you actually cared."

"Nonsense," Arthur scoffed, "as if I would ever care how you felt- I just don't want to be staring at a face like a wet blanket while you get me ready for tonight's meal."

"But I thought you said I could have the rest of the day off!"

"Well I changed my mind. Now, I want you to march your way up to my chambers- you can leave the armour for now- and prepare my bath. And by the time I get up there I want you to have cheered up at least enough to provide me with some entertainment with your meaningless gibbering."

Merlin grinned quickly, clambering to his feet. "Anything you say sire." And, turning briskly, he literally _marched _out of the room, only stopping when a smiling Arthur threw a pillow through the air, hitting the servant square in the back. Mission accomplished.

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**Yay Arthur! *To Arthur* "See- you can do it if you try."**

**Hope you liked it :)**


	19. Epilogue

**Well, I know I said that you'd probably have to wait until tomorrow for the Epilogue, but my journey back home has been postponed due to snow. So, I thought I'd put it up now.**

**Thanks so much to those of you who reviewed- they really helped me stay enthusiastic about the story even knowing how sad it would turn out. Loopstagirl, fortheloveofcamelot, Water1Wolf, ruby890, along with everyone else- I love you guys! :D**

**And, for the last time (at least for this story)- Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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**Epilogue**

Merlin stood on the castle battlements looking out over Camelot, his eyes following a single head of blonde hair down the streets of the lower town and towards the city gates. Two days had passed, and Elira had prepared her belongings and said her goodbyes. She was leaving. And he would probably never see her again. He would stay, continuing along his strange path of protecting a Kingdom which banned magic with the very weapon so despised by law. Secretly fighting on two sides of the same war. Until the destiny he had chosen to follow was complete, and he was free.

The sound of footsteps behind him made him turn his head, just as Arthur stepped through the doorway.

The Prince joined him and, as one, they turned their gazes back towards the gate, watching as Elira passed through it and out of the city. She turned as she did so, and for a single second Merlin could have sworn she was looking right at him. But then the second was over, and she was on her way.

"Are you sure about this?"

The young warlock almost jumped out of his skin. It was foolish, he knew, but he honestly hadn't realised Arthur would actually say anything. Confused, he looked over at his friend. "About what?"

The blond head nodded towards Elira's parting form. "Not saying goodbye."

Merlin allowed a small sad smile to flicker across his lips before sighing and placing his hands on the wall in front of him, fixing his eyes once more on the figure of his failed love. "I'm sure. It would've just made things harder for both of us."

Arthur just frowned. It was evident that he was all too keen on making this departure as hard for the young girl as possible, but he was willing to follow his servant's lead. And Merlin was glad of this. She had her reasons, even if he couldn't tell them to Arthur, and, as much as it hurt him, she had made her own choice. He didn't want to make things any more difficult for her than they already were. She had enough troubles without him barging in and making things worse.

If he had learnt anything from all that had happened over the past few weeks, it was to be more cautious. One thing was certain of- he would be extremely careful over when he would eventually reveal his gifts to Arthur. He knew the day would eventually come when the Prince would be ready for the knowledge, but Merlin would make doubly sure that the time was right. He would wait. No matter how long it took.

Just as they were about to leave, the pair caught sight of a group of Knights, returning to the city with Duke Haskel and his family in custody. The family would be tried before the King that very day, found guilty of treason, and most likely executed before the week was up. He still felt a twinge of guilt in his chest when he thought of how he had killed Rosalind, when he could have just incapacitated her. But what he had told Arthur two days previously was the truth. In that moment, it was the only choice he could make, and he knew it had been the right one.

"Come on then," came Arthur's voice once again, "we should make our way over to the throne room. My father is expecting me to be there during the trial, and if I have to sit through listening to one of his rants, you're definitely not escaping it."

And together, they walked away from the battlements and back into the corridors. But not before Merlin got in one final teasing insult.

"Prat."

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**The end...**


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